


the painted desert

by museaway



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Artist Keith (Voltron), Falling In Love, Happy Ending, Kid Fic, M/M, Monsters & Mana (Voltron), Pilot Shiro (Voltron), Post-Divorce, Sex on a variety of household surfaces, Single Parent Shiro (Voltron), Teacher Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2019-09-15 11:52:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 38,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16932771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/museaway/pseuds/museaway
Summary: Keith's peaceful life as a preschool teacher is uprooted when Commander Shirogane from the nearby Garrison base shows up at his classroom door demanding his daughter. Despite first impressions, they make quick friends. Shiro, recently divorced, comes to rely on Keith's expertise to help him raise his daughter. After Shiro asks him out, they start a casual relationship Keith knows can't last anddefinitelycan't enter the classroom. But the more time they spend together, the more reluctant Keith becomes to lose him—especially when Shiro's ex finds out.





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

  * For [synnesai](https://archiveofourown.org/users/synnesai/gifts).



> As Slav might say, this is the universe where the Galra and Altea found peace long ago. Daibazaal still exists, and while Altea was destroyed, survivors formed a colony on what is called New Altea. The Galra discovered Earth in the late 20th century, bringing it to New Altea's eventual attention as well (very recently). The two cultures share their technology with Earth, which now sends out short- and long-term scientific and peacekeeping missions throughout various quadrants. Voltron has not been needed in centuries. 
> 
> A few details are borrowed from GoLion, including [Keith's last name](https://voltron.fandom.com/wiki/Akira_Kogane) and bits of [Shiro's backstory](https://voltron.fandom.com/wiki/Ryou_Shirogane). I didn't have the heart to make up a name for Keith's dad. ~~If we learn it, I will edit it in.~~ Sigh. 
> 
> Written for synnesai, who asked for a single-father-meets-preschool-teacher AU. Many of the details in this story are here by her request. I probably wouldn't have watched Voltron if it hadn't been for her infectious love for the show and ship. Thank you for trusting me with this idea. ♥

Takashi Shirogane was standing outside the door to the preschool.

Keith knew him by reputation. The commander was the Garrison’s most well-known pilot, the first human to make the run from Earth to New Altea three years ago. And when the newly christened _Atlas_ malfunctioned during its return maiden flight, the commander had kept his head and gotten the ship back to Earth with no casualties. He’d lost an arm in the process.

His picture had saturated television and newspapers, and social media had gone wild over him, the then 34-year-old pilot, married to a fellow officer with an infant at home. The media had dubbed him Space Dad and his family’s tearful reunion had been broadcasted live from the landing site.

Standing in front of Keith, Takashi Shirogane looked about the same as he had in interviews and magazine spreads, in the Garrison recruitment posters that had been slapped up across the city: Japanese descent, close-cut dark hair—definitely military. The kind of guy who could run 5k without breaking a sweat. But to Keith, the commander had a different identity. He was Aki Shirogane’s father, and he was demanding to take her from the school.

“You’re not on the list,” Keith said again, blocking the door to prevent the red-faced commander from entering his classroom. “How did you get into the building?”

The commander set his teeth and took a long breath. “What do you mean, I’m not on the pickup list?”

“It means you’re not authorized to take her.”

“I’m her father!”

“I don’t want to call security on you, sir, but no one’s taking a kid out of my class without authorization. I don’t care who you are.”

Keith wondered how hard Commander Shirogane could punch with an Altean-designed prosthesis. In seven years he’d only been hit once, and that hand had been human. He had a scar on his right cheek to show for it. Keith took a deep breath and spoke more calmly.

“Look. Go down to the office, call your husband. It’s probably just an oversight.”

“This is ridiculous.”

The commander turned on his heel and stalked off.

Not exactly the charmer from television.

Since the school year had started, it had always been his husband who’d brought Aki to and from school—nice guy, glasses, a little aloof, but Keith knew as well as anyone that it was exhausting to have your personal life on parade. He’d never met the commander before today, and Adam hadn’t said a word about him coming when he’d dropped off Aki that morning.

She was coloring across the room with Keith’s assistant and didn’t seem to have noticed her father. He should never have made it past the school entrance. They’d probably made an exception because of who he was. Keith called down to the office to give them an earful.

Not ten minutes later, the commander was escorted back by a security guard, and Keith had a revised authorization list. He showed the commander to Aki’s things.

“Thank you,” the commander said meekly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

“It’s Keith Kogane. I’m the head preschool teacher.”

“Mr. Kogane—”

“Keith’s fine.”

“Keith. I apologize for yelling at you. You were just doing your job. Thank you for protecting my daughter.”

“It’s no problem, Commander. Like you said, it’s my job.”

“Please call me Shiro.”

“Shiro.” It had a friendly ring to it. Keith stuck out a hand. “It’s good to finally meet you, sir. I think you were away during our fall open house.”

“Yes, but I’ll be working on the base for the time being, so I’ll be the one bringing her back and forth from now on. Is there anything I need to know? Things she’s supposed to bring?”

Keith frowned. Maybe his husband had been suddenly called out of town? They were both military. “I’ll give you a copy of our policies and procedures, but the big things are that she needs a change of clothes in her bag every day in case of an accident. You’re responsible for her lunch; we provide afternoon snacks. There are no students with food allergies right now, so peanut butter is fine, but I’ll send a notice if something changes. Oh, and on Fridays, I’ll send her nap mat home to be washed.”

“Right. Okay.”

“We’re closed next week on Thanksgiving. And if she’s sick, we can’t take her. She needs to be symptom-free for twenty-four hours.”

“I understand. May I...” Shiro gestured toward his daughter.

“Sure. I’ll walk over with you.”

Aki’s face lit up when she saw Shiro. She was a shy, petite girl with hair and eyes the same color as his. She ran to hug his legs and said something to him that Keith didn’t understand. Shiro patted her head, looking every part the doting father, and replied in kind.

“I like to speak to her in Japanese,” he said as an aside to Keith.

“They pick up language really quickly at this age. This is Riley, my assistant. Riley, this is Aki’s father.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Shiro said. “Aki, are you finished playing?”

She grunted and nodded.

“Let’s put your crayons away,” Keith said. “Would you like to take your picture with you?”

Another grunt, her usual way of communicating. She placed the crayons in the bin in the center of the table and ran back toward her father’s legs. Shiro bent to pick her up and held her against his hip.

“Are you ready to go home?”

She said a quiet word and nodded. Keith picked up her drawing and tucked it inside the copy of the handbook he gave to Shiro.

“This is everything you need to know,” he said.

“Thank you. I appreciate you helping us. I’m sure I’ll have more questions for you next time.”

When he’d first arrived, Shiro had been wearing a plastic smile—the kind he wore in interviews. But now that he’d calmed down and Keith was looking at him more closely, he noticed shadows beneath Shiro’s eyes, lines of tension in his forehead. Were they new or had the papers always airbrushed them out?

“Aki,” Keith said, “would you like help putting on your shoes or do you want to try doing it yourself?”

She shook her head and buried her face in her father’s shoulder.

“I think she’s tired,” Shiro said and set her down. “Adam told me she didn’t sleep well last night.”

Keith helped her into her shoes and coat. “Get a good night’s sleep tonight, okay? Tomorrow we can do more coloring.”

“Okay.”

“She talks about coloring with Mr. Kogane a lot at home,” Shiro said. “I wasn’t expecting someone so...”

“Young?” Keith grinned. “I’m glad she has fun here. I’ll see you both in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Keith.”

Shiro shook Keith’s hand before he left, and Keith could now say he’d touched a piece of Altean technology. It hadn’t felt that different from human skin. Maybe a little cooler. He rubbed his palm with the thumb of his opposite hand.

“He looks bigger on television,” Riley said. “Don’t you think?”

Keith shrugged. “Maybe.”

Once all of the students had gone home and he and Riley had set about disinfecting the tables and chairs and beginning preparations for tomorrow, it occurred to Keith that there’d been one other thing about Takashi Shirogane he hadn’t expected: he hadn’t been wearing a wedding ring.

* * *

It snowed in Arizona that winter for the first time in a decade.

With the cold snap came runny noses and illness notifications affixed to the classroom door. The frequent hand-washing left Keith’s hands drier than desert rock but didn’t keep him from getting sick. He spent Christmas nursing soup on his couch and come the new year, was desperate for fresh air.

The first sunny day following winter break, he grabbed his thickest leather jacket and drove to his parents’ house before work to liberate his bike from their garage. His mother caught him putting on his helmet. Krolia loomed in the doorway that led into the house in her starched Garrison uniform and black slippers, a mug of steaming coffee in her hands.

“Were you going to say hello?”

“Hi.” Keith checked the bike’s battery to be sure the cold hadn’t sapped it. Enough for the round trip. “I didn’t realize you guys were up.”

“Your father’s still sleeping. When are you coming for dinner?”

“This weekend. My washer’s busted. I need to borrow yours.”

“Why don’t you move back home?”

“Mom, we’ve been over this.”

“You know I don’t mind if you bring a partner back here.”

“ _You_ minding isn’t the problem.” He swung a leg over the bike. “I’ve gotta get to school. Say hi to dad for me. I’ll be back for the car. I left it in the street so I wouldn’t block you.”

“Next time use the front door,” Krolia said and went back inside.

Keith lost himself in the feel of the road. Breeze washed over his wrists and neck where his jacket had slipped, clearing his mind. He’d missed this freedom.

* * *

Back in high school, the Garrison had sent recruiters to his class. While Keith had been the only one in his year to ace the flight simulator, he hadn’t seen the appeal of outer space and never submitted an application. Come to think of it, the recruiter’s name might have been Shirogane.

His mom had been disappointed by his decision–she’d been a lieutenant at the time, the first permanent Galran citizen on Earth–but she hadn’t given him grief. When he’d shown more interest in drawing than inter-stellar travel, she’d bought him a year’s worth of sketchbooks and encouraged him to draw in the sunlight sometimes.

He still sketched occasionally, mostly in crayon these days.

That afternoon, he put the final touches on a Vivid Violet hippo that Aki had requested. Shiro had dropped her off in mismatched socks.

“There you go, one purple hippo,” he said, passing it to her. She smiled with her teeth and ran to put it into her bag. He checked his watch. “We have time for one more.”

Multiple small voices yelled species at him. He settled on the easiest.

“All right, a cat it is.”

He drew it in Screamin’ Green in a few strokes. There was light applause.

“Okay, let’s clean up. Your parents will be here soon.”

Keith got up from the floor and watched nineteen preschoolers scatter, putting blocks into bins and straightening chairs. Parents arrived to collect them and the classroom became a flurry of shoes and coats.

“It’s Friday. Let’s remember to take our nap mats home,” Keith said over the noise. “No running inside, please. Thank you.”

By a quarter past three, only a handful of kids remained to be picked up. It wasn’t unusual for parents to be late on a Friday, especially those who worked on base. There was always heavier traffic leading into a recruiting weekend.

“Let’s give them until half past before we make calls,” Keith said to Riley.

“Are you doing anything this weekend?” she said.

“Doing laundry at my folks’ place. You?”

“I think I might repaint the guest room.”

“Man, are we getting old.” Keith laughed. “If you want to take off, go ahead. I’ll take care of things here.”

“If you wouldn’t mind, I’ll head to the hardware store now.”

“Yeah, get going.”

“Thanks, Keith. Have a good weekend. Bye, kids! See you Monday.”

“Bye, Miss Riley,” shouted the small chorus.

Keith glanced out the classroom window. If he could get out of here in the next hour, there would be time to take the bike through the desert before it got too cold. He hadn’t felt the wind in his hair since October. He touched the ends where they were pawing at his neck and pulled it back with an elastic band.

By half past the hour, everyone had been picked up except Aki, who sat coloring by herself at the longest table. Keith made a call to the office and sat down across from her.

“Your dad’s running a little late today. Is it okay if I color with you while we wait?”

She nodded.

“I used to be the last one to get picked up too. My dad’s a firefighter, and my mom—her job is a lot like your dad’s. Do you think you would want to fly in space?”

Aki didn’t say anything, but she held up the drawing she was making. It could’ve been a pink giraffe.

“That’s a nice use of color. Can you tell me about it?”

“It’s Papa,” she said.

“I see,” he said, trying to imagine Shiro in the scribbles. “And what about the green?”

“Glasses.”

Ah. Not Shiro, then. This was the first time she’d talked about her other father to Keith since Shiro had started to bring her to and from school.

“Miss him,” she said.

“I’m sure he’d like to see the picture you drew. Should I help you write a note on it for him?”

Someone knocked on the classroom door before she could reply. Shiro panted in the doorway.

“Did you run here?” Keith said, getting up. Shiro offered him a hand.

“Practically,” he said, color high in his cheeks. “I’m sorry you had to stay late for me again.”

“Meeting run over?”

“I didn’t think I was getting out of there. If I’d known it was going to last that long, I would’ve called you before we got started, but I couldn’t leave the room once it got going. Is she ready?”

“Yup. Here’s her bag and her nap mat. Aki, let’s put your shoes on. Would you like help?”

She shook her head and sat on the floor to put on her shoes.

“How was she today?” Shiro asked quietly.

“I got her to talk a little. She mentioned she misses your ex.”

Shiro visibly cringed. “I knew this would be hard on her.”

“Has she spoken with a counselor?”

“No.”

“The office has contact information if you’d be interested.”

“I probably should have her talk to someone. I was always the one who was away.” Shiro rubbed his arms. “He was with her all of the time. Of course she misses him.”

“He’s...working?”

“He’s piloting the New Altea run, so he’s gone a couple weeks at a time. That’s why I’m taking care of her now.”

Keith suspected, from the shuttered look on Shiro’s face, that there was quite a lot more to the story than he’d let on, but he didn’t pry. He did, however, take a chance and pat Shiro on the arm.

“We have a lot of kids whose parents are in the Garrison. You might have her start a journal that he can read when he gets back. It helps maintain a connection.”

“I didn’t think of that, thank you. We’ll start one when we get home. Aki, that’s the wrong foot. Can daddy help you?”

“No.”

“As you can see, it’s going well,” Shiro whispered. “She doesn’t want me to help her with anything.”

“This is normal at her age. Trust me.”

“I do.” Shiro looked him in the eye and smiled. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Keith. I mean that.”

“You did just fine until now. You’ve only known me for a couple months.”

“I’m sorry we didn’t meet sooner.”

Keith licked his lips and Shiro resumed watching Aki with a soft expression. He was beginning to gray along his hairline. It looked refined. Keith followed his gaze to the floor.

“Hey, do you...” he started to say, but there was a shriek and footsteps in the hallway. Keith stuck his head out the door. “No running inside the school. You both know that!”

“Sorry, Mr. Kogane!”

Behind him, Shiro laughed.

“You must enjoy your weekends,” he said.

“They’re quiet,” Keith said.

“Is it just you?”

“Yeah. But my folks live nearby.”

“Oh, that’s right. Your mother is…”

Keith grinned. “I wondered if you’d figured that out.”

Shiro looked sheepish. He coughed lightly. “I knew you looked familiar when we met, but I wasn’t sure if I should say anything. This might sound strange, but I was fascinated by your family when I was younger.”

“I guess you see my mom on the base.”

“I’ve had the honor of working with her on several occasions. Her lecture on loyalty is famous.”

“Oh, yeah. I heard that one a few times growing up.”

Shiro laughed again–a gorgeous sound. Keith stole a glance. Although he was smiling, Shiro’s skin had the telltale flush of a fever, especially on his cheeks. His eyes were watery.

“You know, you don’t look so good,” Keith said.

“I feel like I’m coming down with something. I’ve wanted to go home since lunch.”

“Why didn’t you send someone else to pick her up?”

“Adam is out of town and I don’t have any family nearby.”

“What about friends?”

“They’re off planet.”

“Next time call the school. I’ll bring her out front so you don’t have to come all the way in here.”

“Do I have a fever?” Shiro leaned into Keith, who startled but touched the inside of his wrist to Shiro’s forehead.

“You feel a little warm.” He swallowed and lowered his arm. “There’ve been a couple bugs going around. Are you going to be okay taking care of her for the weekend?”

“We’ll be fine. She’s a good kid.”

Good kid or not, she was still three. “Give me your phone.”

“Why?”

Keith took it from Shiro’s hand. “I’m giving you my number. If something comes up, call me. I can help you with her.”

“You don’t have to go that far for me.”

“It’s for Aki.”

“Of course.” Shiro swallowed. “Is that allowed? Wouldn’t that be considered special treatment?”

“You’re the only one of my parents who’s actually read the handbook.” Keith synced contact information between their phones and handed Shiro’s back. “In this case, we can just say I’m helping a friend.”

“Hopefully I won’t need to call you.”

“If you do, I’m usually up pretty late on weekends.” Keith thrust his hands in his pockets. “Aki, how are you doing?”

She pointed to her feet. Her shoes were red and on the right feet this time.

“Good job,” Shiro said. “Let’s get your coat.” He held it out for her and smiled at Keith. “Can we walk you to your car?”

“Thanks, but I’ve got to finish cleaning up and then I think I’m gonna take a ride.”

“Is that your bike outside? It’s beautiful.”

“Thanks. I got it used a couple years ago. Do you ride?”

“I used to.” Shiro took Aki’s hand. He said something to her that Keith couldn’t understand and then, “Say goodbye to Mr. Kogane.”

“Bye.”

“See you Monday,” Keith said and to Shiro, “Feel better.”

Shiro’s cough echoed down the hallway, but he didn’t call that night.

* * *

Keith’s parents lived in a small development, in a two-story farmhouse that would’ve looked more appropriate in Texas. His mother eyed him suspiciously from the kitchen table when Keith walked into the house Saturday after lunch with a bag of laundry over his shoulder. He bent to kiss her cheek.

“What’s that look for?” he said.

“You look thin.”

“It’s because I’ve got on this jacket. Is dad home?”

“He went to the store when I told him you were coming.”

“He doesn’t have to make anything special.”

“You know your father. As soon as it’s warm enough to grill, he wants to be outside. He’s already measuring for a hammock.”

Keith set down his bag and poured a cup of coffee from the carafe on the counter. It was lukewarm.

“How long have you been awake?” He leaned against the counter. Krolia set her tablet aside.

“Since five.”

“Did you work today?”

“I went in for a few hours. The empire is sending an ambassador next year so there’s a lot of preparation to do.”

“An ambassador from Daibazaal?”

She nodded. “There had been talk of the empress herself visiting. Regardless of who they send, they’ll expect us to reciprocate.”

“Are you thinking about going back?”

Krolia frowned at a cup of coffee that had to be cold.

“I suppose it would be nice to see it again. I’d like to take you and your father, but with his work schedule...”

“Is he thinking about retiring soon?”

“They’ll have to force him out. He would put a Galran to shame.”

“You could go back yourself,” Keith said.

“The things I love most are right here.” She got up from the table and brought her mug to the sink. “How’s work?”

“Work’s work.”

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“Mom...”

“Commander Holt has a daughter.”

“Mom.”

“And a son.”

“I don’t need you setting up dates for me.” Her mouth turned down and he stood on tiptoe to kiss the stripe on her cheek in apology. “But thanks for worrying.”

“I’m trying to make up for your childhood.”

“I never cared that you worked.”

“I don’t like that you grew up largely without me. I didn’t realize how fast the time would go by. I’d come home from a mission and you’d be another six inches taller. I’d have to catch up on everything you’d done through your sketchbooks. And then one day, you were leaving this house.”

Keith felt uneasy, like he’d stepped on board a ship that was listing in calm waters. He put a hand on her shoulder.

“Is everything okay with you and dad?”

“Your father and I are fine. I simply want you to have the same happiness.”

“I’ll be happy once my sheets are clean. Let me put in this load and we can talk more, okay?”

She’d bought the same type of detergent since he was a child. It smelled like lavender. Feeling nostalgic, he tossed a capsule into the washing machine and left it to run.

Shiro hadn’t contacted him yet. Keith couldn’t help worrying about Aki being left alone while her dad was sick in bed, but it would be overstepping to send a message. Shiro might be a friend but they weren’t close—definitely not close enough that Keith felt comfortable picking up a few things at the drug store and offering to swing by his place. Not with his daughter home. That could make things difficult at school. Kids had a tendency to repeat things they didn’t understand.

He kept his phone with him when he joined his mother in the living room, tossing it onto the cushion beside him. He pointed to the painting of his mother’s planet hung above the fireplace.

“Are you ever gonna take that down?”

“You made that for me when you were fifteen,” Krolia said. “I love that painting. Are you working on anything?”

“I’m kinda stalled right now.” His eyes wandered to his phone.

“Are you expecting a call?”

“A friend of mine’s sick. I told him to call if he needed help with his daughter.”

“One of your students?”

“Yeah. Her dad works with you. Takashi Shirogane?”

Krolia sat up a little straighter. “I didn’t realize you were friends with him.”

“He’s been bringing his daughter to school for the last couple months, so we talk pretty frequently. Nice guy.”

“He’s divorced,” she said.

“Yeah, I figured that out. Do you know his ex?”

She nodded. “He’s an excellent pilot. His students are some of the best. I don’t blame him for wanting to fly again, but it’s caused a lot of tension on base. I hope you’re asking me about this because you’re interested in the commander.”

“You know it’s possible to be single and happy?”

“A Galran would never deny his parents a grandchild. He would be proud to carry on his lineage.”

“Sorry I’m only half Galran then.”

“Are you two arguing already?” his dad called from the kitchen. Kosmo, who had liked riding along in cars since he’d been a puppy, bounded into the living room. He jumped onto the couch to lick Keith’s face as soon as he saw him.

“Hey, buddy,” Keith said, pushing his face away. “You need a bath.”

“Kosmo, off of the couch,” said his dad. He had on a plaid shirt and a bulging grocery bag swinging from each arm. Kosmo curled up next to Keith’s legs, laying his head on his thigh. His dad sighed. “He’s never listened to anybody but you. I hope you’re hungry. I got your favorites.”

Keith started to push off of the couch even as Kosmo whined. “Do you need help?”

“You and your mother relax. What were you both so excited about when I came in?”

“I’m a disappointment to Galra everywhere because I don’t have kids.”

Krolia folded her arms. “I was merely questioning our son about his future.”

His dad set down the grocery bags and leaned on the back of her chair. He put an arm around her shoulders. “Son, you know your mother and I are proud of you no matter what choices you make. We just worry that you might be a little lonely living by yourself.”

“You lived alone before you met mom.”

“You’re right, I did. But, son, you’re thirty. Your mother and I won’t be around forever. That’s why we’re worrying about you now.”

“I know and I appreciate that. But this is my life, dad. You’ve gotta let me go at my own pace.”

“As long as you’re moving.” Dad patted Krolia’s shoulder and got up. “Have I told you about the new engine we have coming in? It’ll put those Garrison vehicles to shame. I’ll show you pictures after we eat. What would everyone like to drink?”

* * *

A stroke of luck had landed Keith his property in the desert when he was only twenty-four. He’d been out riding when he got the call from a local gallery that one of his pieces had sold. It hadn’t been a lot, a few thousand, but added to the money he’d been saving since the day he was legally allowed to work, and considering the newly signed contract with the preschool guaranteeing his salary, he’d had enough for a downpayment.

That was the first and last painting he’d ever sold. He’d thought there would be time to work on others once he lived on his own, but after a day of herding kids and patching up stuffed animals, the only thing he wanted was to sit out back with a cold beer and watch the stars. He hadn’t painted them in three years.

The cat was waiting for him when he got home from his folks’ place, a stray that had started to nap in the shade of the front door overhang last August. He’d fed it, since it had wasted to ribs and reddish fur, and it had never stopped coming around.

The cat didn’t come into the house and he’d never touched it, only set down a bowl and watched it eat. It scampered out from behind a shrub as he guided the bike behind the house and shut it off.

“Hey, Red. Hungry?”

The cat trailed him to the door. Keith slapped a hand against the lock. It took three times before it recognized his fingerprints. These cheap scanners only lasted five years and this one was pushing seven. Keith left his shoes on and crossed the main room in four strides, taking a bag of cat food from the storage cabinet where it was wedged between a couple of unused canvases. He poured the food into one of his cereal bowls and set it outside the front door. The cat didn’t approach until he was back in the house.

It was a clear night. Keith opened the glass slider that ran the length of the house and dragged a chair to the mouth of it. From here you could see the stars for miles. That was the reason he’d wanted this property in the first place, even though it had meant the extra expense of knocking down the ramshackle one-room house that had stood on the land when he bought it. His parents had loaned him the money for that and the new house that went up in its place. Five months of construction had felt impossibly long at twenty-four, but it had been worth the wait. He was at peace here in a way he wasn’t any other place but one, a spot in the desert he’d found by chance the one time he ran away in high school.

He shut off the lights and sat down, cracking open a beer.

The phone never rang.

* * *

He spent the rest of the weekend at home, heating up the leftover ribeye his dad had sent with him for breakfast on Sunday. The sun stayed behind a cloud cover, but the day was warm enough to open the windows so the house could air out. He even set up his easel in the open slider, positioning a blank canvas on it, but as usual nothing came to him.

Mid-Sunday, his worry got the better of him and he immediately wished he could un-send the message asking if Shiro needed anything—especially when the response came through a few minutes later.

_Thanks but we’re fine. Enjoy the rest of your weekend._

He cringed at the tone and didn’t write back.

Friendship had never been his strong point, and he’d only tried dating a couple times since college. Those had ended before things had gotten off the ground. Keith preferred to keep things casual. Working with kids didn’t introduce a lot of options. Sure, he met other adults through work, but to most of them he was strictly their child’s teacher. He got along with his colleagues but couldn’t call any but Riley a friend. Besides his dad, the person he’d been closest to growing up was a neighbor who’d enlisted in the Garrison as soon as he’d been old enough. Keith hadn’t seen him in a decade.

Monday morning on the ride to work, he was nervous about Shiro’s message and prepared himself for more reserved interaction than usual. So it caught him by surprise when Shiro smiled and put his hand on Keith’s shoulder to greet him.

“I really appreciate you reaching out yesterday.” Shiro’s hand was warm through Keith’s shirt. He squeezed gently. Aki put down her things and joined a group of kids already playing with hovering blocks.

“How are you feeling?” Keith asked.

“I spent most of the weekend on the couch.” Shiro took the hand from Keith’s shoulder and ran it through his hair. There were circles beneath his eyes, but his color was better than it had been on Friday. “If you like, I can now sing theme songs from a variety of children’s shows.”

Keith laughed. “I get enough of that here. Just glad you’re feeling better. Listen, I sent home a notice about this a while ago, but Wednesday is conference night.”

A worry line appeared between Shiro’s eyebrows. “Right. I know I have it in my calendar.”

“If you can’t make it, we can go over everything some afternoon when you pick her up. It won’t take more than a few minutes.”

“I don’t want you making exceptions for me. I’ll make sure I’m here.” Shiro looked across the room. “Aki, daddy’s leaving.”

She looked up and waved. Several of the others waved too.

“Have a good day at work,” Keith said, as he said every morning. And like every other, Shiro’s eyes met his.

“You too. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

He touched Keith’s arm again before he left, a brief squeeze of his bicep. And afterwards, it took a few minutes for Keith to get his mouth under control. He kept smiling without meaning to. It was frustrating to be so openly bothered. What was he, a teenager?

“You look happy. Did something good happen over the weekend?” Riley asked, getting out the paper and markers for writing practice.

“I saw my dog,” Keith said.

* * *

He hated conference day. With preschoolers, most consultations were short reports on behavior or inclinations, updates on family situations that might affect behavior in the classroom. A few parents would inevitably want to chat. Even now, some had questions about Keith’s lineage or recalled an article they’d read about him when he was younger. His conferences always ran over because of that, so it was past eight when he shook the last hand and eyed his jacket hanging near the door. His empty stomach protested its neglect loudly. The rest of the staff had gone except for Keith and a lone janitor polishing the hallway floor.

Shiro hadn’t come. His ex had surprised Keith when he’d picked up Aki mid-day. Shiro hadn’t mentioned that he was back on Earth. Adam had shown the same detached politeness as always, although toward Aki he’d been warm. He’d carried her out on his hip.

Shiro must be in meetings again but hadn’t called the school. What a waste of Keith’s best shirt. Though they hadn’t exchanged personal texts except the one time, he checked his phone anyway, surprised to find he had a message from Shiro sent seventeen minutes earlier.

_On my way._

Knowing he’d see him after all lifted Keith’s mood. He sent a confirmation and used the time to write reports for two other students whose parents hadn’t been able to attend. Footsteps fell outside the door. Keith lifted his head.

“Thought you were standing me up.”

“I’d hoped to be here an hour ago.” Shiro took off his hat and held it in both hands. “I’m sorry for always keeping you late. You must hate me.”

“It’s not a problem, honestly. The last group left a few minutes ago.”

“You look good in glasses,” Shiro said, stepping closer.

“They’re readers.” Keith took them off and pinched his nose to hide his face. “Have a seat. This shouldn’t take long.”

Shiro glanced to the door. “I haven’t eaten since lunch and Aki’s with my ex tonight. Assuming you don’t have any plans, could we do this over dinner? It’s on me.”

His smile was earnest.

Keith was usually adept at discerning whether he was or was not being hit on, but Shiro was an anomaly–consistently kind and charming, free with his touches, but distant enough that Keith couldn’t be sure if his behavior was fueled by interest or a need to be liked. For all he knew, Shiro treated everyone like this.

Keith must’ve made a strange expression, because Shiro immediately backtracked.

“I wasn’t asking you out. Not that I wouldn’t ask you out! You’re incredibly...” He brought a fist to his lips and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate. I apologize if I offended you.”

He started to sit down, lowering his eyes and smoothing the wrinkles in his jacket. The tips of his ears had gone scarlet. Keith laughed and took pity on him.

“I’m starving,” he said, pushing up from the desk. “I’d love to get dinner. You got a place in mind?”

* * *

Keith followed him to a restaurant and bar a few miles from the base. Shiro drove a recent model Garrison vehicle, the kind that looked like the monster trucks Keith had loved the summer he was seven. He parked his bike beside it on the edge of the gravel parking lot.

“Is this place okay?” Shiro asked.

Keith had taken him for a bourgeois type. “Fine. My mom likes this place.”

Shiro smiled. “She’s the one who introduced me to it.”

They got a booth in the back and Shiro handed him a menu. “Do you drink?”

“Not when I take the bike out.”

“I hope you won’t judge me if I have one.”

“Of course not.” Shiro was so large, alcohol probably didn’t affect him much. The pages of the menu were stuck together with dried ketchup. Keith pried them apart. “What was your meeting about? Or can you not talk about it?”

“Almost everything I do is classified.”

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

Shiro dipped his head and smiled a little. “I’m glad you’re interested.”

“I thought about enlisting for a while,” Keith said.

“I remember your scores from the simulation test. Your mom was really proud. How come you never joined?”

Keith shrugged. “I didn’t like the idea of being confined to a ship in the middle of space. What if something goes wrong?” He regretted saying it as soon as the words had left his mouth and looked at Shiro’s arm.

“It’s frightening,” Shiro said. “When the _Atlas_ malfunctioned, my first thought was I would never see my daughter again.”

“I remember the news stories when you made it back.”

“They wouldn’t leave us alone. Adam got upset every time I took an interview.”

“How come?”

“We were already having problems. But the Garrison thought our story was good for PR—they were low on recruits—and we agreed to play it up for them. If I’d known we’d have to do it for so long, I would have refused.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened between you?”

“We grew apart. I was immature and put a lot of focus on my own career. Left him to take care of Aki. I didn’t know how much it bothered him. I thought he was happy being home with her, but at the end of last year when I got back, he said he’d been offered an opportunity and he was going to take it.”

“And you had to give up flying?”

“I don’t want to let someone else raise her. And I like teaching. I did a lot of flight instruction when I was younger, so I’m overseeing the new recruits. Among other things.”

“I bet you miss space.”

Shiro met his eyes. “There’s nothing like it.”

A server came to their table and they both ordered: a bacon burger for Keith with extra cheese. Shiro ordered grilled chicken.

“What about you?” he asked, settling back in the booth. “How did you become a teacher?”

“Plan B. I needed something to pay the bills in case my art career didn’t take off.”

“That’s why you’re so good with crayons.”

Keith laughed. “Four years of art school and I can draw animals on demand.”

“Why don’t you take it up again?”

“I mess around with it sometimes. There hasn’t been anything I’ve wanted to paint for a while.”

“What did you used to paint?”

“Whatever I saw. Landscapes. People.”

“I’d like to see your work sometime.”

Keith leaned on the edge of the table. “Maybe you could pose for me.” He expected Shiro to be flustered. Most people were when Keith turned on his charm, but Shiro held his gaze. His mouth stretched into a smile.

“I could do that.”

The sultry tone to his voice made Keith shiver. He’d never heard it before. The server brought their drinks and Keith downed half his water to cool the flush in his cheeks.

He wiped his mouth on a sleeve. “So what do you do besides work?”

“You’ll laugh,” Shiro said. “I’m in a fantasy role-playing league.”

“Come again?”

“It’s for an Altean game. It’s popular among some of my colleagues. We get together and play from time to time when we’re all on the same planet.”

“You thought I’d laugh at you for playing a game?”

“Adam thought it was pointless. It actually requires a lot of skills we value in the Garrison: teamwork, problem solving. But he couldn’t see past the fantasy elements.”

“So what role are you?” Keith asked. “Archer? Wait, no. You seem more like a paladin type.”

Shiro brightened. “Don’t tell me you know it.”

“Are you kidding? That game was all anybody talked about five years ago. I’m surprised people are still into it.”

“It’s a different story every time,” Shiro said. He talked with his hands when he was excited. “It’s fun on long missions.”

“I bet. I’ll have to play with you sometime.”

“I die a lot.”

“Now that I can’t imagine.” Keith took another drink of water and cleared his throat. “Anyway, about the reason we’re here.”

“Right,” Shiro said. He straightened his back and dropped his hands to his lap. Keith wondered if this was how he looked in the meetings he was always stuck in.

“She’s doing fine,” Keith said. “No behavior issues. She’s been interacting with the other kids more, but she’s still reluctant to speak a lot of the time. I think it’s probably a response to what’s been going on at home. She’s been increasingly withdrawn since December. I’m guessing that’s when he left?”

“Earth, yes. We’ve been living apart for quite a while.”

Keith shouldn’t have taken pleasure in that. “I don’t think you need to consider speech therapy. We’ll keep trying to engage her in conversation. Does she talk at home?”

“Constantly. She’s been a little quiet lately, but I’ve had to work a lot and we don’t get to do much together. I’ve been planning to take her to the new _Calypso_ exhibit, but the opening’s been delayed until this summer.”

“The ship?” Keith said.

Shiro smiled. “You know your history.”

“First to make it to Jupiter. Took them three years. Longest voyage of its kind.”

“Then the Galra showed up and made our technology obsolete. But that’s what got me interested in flying, so I want to show it to her. I’d like to show you, too, if you would come.”

“To the exhibit? Sure. I know my mom’ll want to go.”

“I’ll make sure you have tickets to the opening,” Shiro said. “Unless you’d rather reserve them through your mother?”

“Nah, I’ll surprise her.” He passed Shiro a written report. “I was going to give you this in the morning or send it home with her. I try not to play favorites, but it’s a delight having her in my class. You have a wonderful child.”

Shiro, smiling, tucked the paper in his jacket.

Their food arrived steaming. Shiro’s eyes were as wide as a kid’s on Christmas morning. He took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

“Dig in,” Keith said.

Shiro was a hearty eater. He polished off his sandwich in two minutes and relaxed his shoulders, starting on the heap of steamed broccoli. Keith wiped grease from his mouth with his thumb. Shiro’s eyes tracked the movement, and then he glanced across the diner to the television screen above the counter. It broadcasted the weather forecast for the next week.

“It’ll be hot soon,” Shiro said, adjusting his collar. “I’ve lived out here over half my life and I’m still not used to the heat.”

“You could relocate.”

“This is our most advanced base. And Adam likes it out here. I don’t see him moving any time soon.”

Keith frowned at the mention of his ex, and Shiro continued to stare at the television.

“You know,” Keith said, changing the subject. “If you’re trying to think of more activities to do at home, Aki loves art. She draws every day. You don’t need much in the way of supplies, just crayons and paper.”

“I was thinking of buying her one of those digital boards for her birthday.”

“Less mess. Whatever you use, try doing it together. Even if you only have five minutes.” Keith finished his burger and pushed the basket aside. “Dessert?”

“I don’t usually eat it.”

“We can split something. You pick.”

Shiro took the dessert card from the holder against the wall. “Is there anything you don’t like?”

“Nope,” Keith said.

“I haven’t had cheesecake in a while.”

“I don’t imagine it goes well with your diet.”

“Well, there’s that. I have a disease that couldn’t be treated for most of my life, so I’ve always been on a strict diet to keep my muscles healthy.”

Keith blinked. In all of the coverage on Shiro’s actions and his personal life, he’d never heard anything about a medical condition. “Does that mean they’re able to treat it now?”

“It’s not cured, but the technology the Alteans developed is better than anything we had available on Earth pre-contact. I first underwent it three years ago when I visited their planet. With one treatment, I’m good for several months. At one point my doctors didn’t think I’d be able to fly past twenty-eight.”

No wonder Shiro had been focused on his career. He glanced around the restaurant then back to the table.

“The Garrison kept my medical history under wraps. They didn’t want anyone to know that the pilot flying the most expensive piece of technology Earth had ever developed might not be well enough to complete the mission.”

Keith leaned forward over his arms. “Weren’t you scared to go out there?”

“It’s what I always wanted. I didn’t want to die with regrets. But Adam didn’t want me to go and basically told me if I did, we were over.”

“But you went anyway.”

Shiro took a long breath and nodded. “I don’t know if I’d make the same decision today. Maybe we’d still be together if I’d stayed. I think he thought I’d be happy to settle down once we had Aki.”

Keith thought for a moment and wet his lips. “I don’t know much about relationships, but I think the person you’re with should support the things you want to do with your life.”

“That’s why, when he told me he wanted to be the one out there, I agreed to switch places with him. I know it doesn’t fix things and we can never go back to what we were, but I wanted to make it up to him somehow.” Shiro smiled without showing his teeth. Keith wondered if it was an act for his sake.

“I think it’s awesome you went,” he said. “But it sucks what happened to your marriage. I’m kind of pissed at your ex.”

Shiro raised one eyebrow and gave him a a skeptical look. “You wouldn’t mind a partner who was gone most of the time?”

Keith stole a broccoli spear from Shiro’s plate and flicked butter from his fingertips. “It’s not like he didn’t know what kind of work you do. My mom was out in space most of my childhood. My dad and I got by. He understood that was something she needed to do. And she puts up with him running into burning buildings.”

“I’ve heard her talk about that. There was an accident when you were young?”

“A building was about to collapse, but he went back in to pull a couple people out even though he was ordered not to. There’s no telling my dad no. He knew he could save those people. The building came down around him. They got him out, but it was touch and go for a while. My mom had to come back and take care of me.”

“How old were you?”

“I guess I must have been seven? Eight? Luckily, because of my mom’s connection with the Garrison, he was able to get pretty good treatment. You can hardly see the scars.”

Shiro placed his human hand on top of his Altean one. “I wonder sometimes if Adam was right. If I hadn’t been able to get that ship back, I would have left Aki with one father. What kind of parent does that make me?”

“The kind who will support his daughter’s dreams. Believe me, she’ll appreciate that one day.”

“You’re really easy to talk to.” Shiro looked at him fondly and let out a sigh, signaling their server. “One slice of cheesecake, please. And two forks.”

* * *

When they’d finished eating and Shiro had drained the coffee he’d ordered with dessert, Keith reached for his wallet to pay his half of their tab, but Shiro snatched the bill and shook his head.

“This is on me. I’ve inconvenienced you enough today.”

“You sure? Thanks. I’ll get you next time.”

He’d said it without thinking. It was the sort of thing you said when you had dinner with a friend, but he realized the implication of his words—that he’d assumed there would be another time they’d have dinner together. The corners of Shiro’s mouth lifted slightly. It may have been a trick of the overhead pendant lights, but Keith swore his face was redder than it had been a moment earlier.

He felt revived walking out of the restaurant—something about good food and good conversation. He spent too much time with three-year-olds. The evening wasn’t as cold as he’d expected, and though it was late, there was time to sit outside for a while before bed if he went home now--unless Shiro had something else in mind. He was a few steps behind Keith and caught up to him in the parking lot.

“Thank you for coming with me,” he said, buttoning his jacket and repositioning his hat. “It was great having dinner with an adult for a change.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Shiro smiled, glancing first to the street and then down at his hands. He took a breath before continuing. “Do you...do you have any plans for this weekend?”

Keith’s heart picked up. “Nothing special. Why?”

“Would you have dinner with me again? Say, Friday night?”

This was probably a bad idea. Shiro was the father of one of his students, and while relationships like this weren’t forbidden exactly, they were frowned upon by administration. It was doubly awkward in this case because Keith had to interact with Shiro’s ex, and he had no way of knowing how Adam might react if he found out.

But he’d been drawn to Shiro almost from the moment they’d met, even when he was red in the face and yelling in the hallway at the preschool. Only an idiot would turn down dinner with a guy most of the city would sleep with. Keith would probably never get this chance again; Shiro didn’t seem like the hard-pursuit type.

“What time?” Keith said.

“Maybe seven? I can call you when I’m finished at the base.”

“You’ve got my number.”

They were the only two people in the parking lot. A car drove past, washing Shiro in the yellow glow of its headlights. His interest in Keith was written all over his face. Keith licked his lips, waiting for Shiro to make a move, to step closer so Keith would know he wanted to kiss, or for him to simply initiate it.

But Shiro didn’t kiss him. He didn’t come closer. The car went past and turned the corner. Shiro squared his shoulders and shook Keith’s hand.

“I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.”

“Night.”

With military precision, Shiro turned neatly on his heel and got into his car.

Keith stayed next to his bike, perplexed. It wasn’t often he read the situation wrong. He tried not to be disappointed. He’d had a real conversation, gotten a free meal, and agreed to do...something else on Friday. It ate at him the entire ride home that he’d been conceited. Shiro had drawn a clear line in the classroom when he’d rescinded the first dinner offer. He obviously didn’t intend to cross it.

But they’d flirted over dinner. You didn’t split cheesecake with just anyone. If Shiro wasn’t interested, he could have said no. Maybe he was reserved because of his nature or his position in the Garrison. Maybe he’d been respecting Keith’s privacy. The restaurant was in the middle of town and you never knew who was watching.

Or maybe Keith was an idiot after all.

* * *

Riley noticed his mood was off the next morning. They walked into the building together. “Did you get enough sleep last night?” she said.

Keith rubbed his temples. “I’m getting a headache. How’s your guest room coming along?”

“It’s pink. Go to the lounge for a while. I’ll handle arrivals.”

Avoiding the classroom for a while had its appeal. He wasn’t sure how he should approach Shiro this morning and to be honest, not having to face him was a relief. He hurried toward the teachers’ lounge, rounding a corner, and literally ran into Shiro who was carrying Aki down the hall.

“Whoa!” Shiro caught him around the waist before he fell and Aki said, “Uh oh.”

“Sorry,” Keith said. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Are you alright?”

A passing second grader made a joke about not running in the halls. Keith dropped his head in humility. “You’re right. Thank you for the reminder.”

Shiro was still holding on to him. He only spoke when they were alone again.

“Thanks for having dinner with me last night.” His fingers tightened minutely on Keith’s waist. “I’m afraid I might have given you the wrong impression.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Keith said with feigned lightness, avoiding his eyes, and stepped out of Shiro’s reach. He started to walk around him but Shiro took his hand. Bending his head nearer to Keith’s, he lowered his voice.

“I wanted to kiss you so badly last night, but I wasn’t sure if you’d let me. I was kicking myself after I got home.”

Keith blushed in spite of himself and his surroundings, in spite of the fact that Aki was watching them. “I wouldn’t have said no,” he muttered. “You can make it up to me on Friday.”

Shiro laughed in his ear. “Believe me, it’s not a mistake I’m going to repeat.”

Or maybe Shiro _was_ more aggressive than Keith had thought. He reclaimed his hand and crossed his arms. “Aki, are you ready to have fun today?”

“Yes.”

“Awesome. I’m getting some coffee, but I’ll see you in the classroom. Miss Riley is waiting for you.”

Shiro smiled at him and Keith felt the first fluttering, like wings, in his stomach.


	2. two

Keith got home from work that Friday a little after four. By six, he was showered and dressed, sitting at the kitchen counter with his phone, tapping a pencil against a blank page. 

The phone rang at a quarter past. He was surprised by his own excitement and equally let down when it turned out to be an automated call about his bike insurance.

At twenty after, he texted Shiro. 

He put in a frozen pizza at seven-thirty.

Shiro didn’t call until almost eight. 

“Keith, I’m so sorry,” he said. “Things ran later than I’d planned and I’m just getting out of here. Did you eat already?”

“Sorry. When I didn’t hear from you...”

“It’s my fault. I feel like a jerk standing you up when I asked you out.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Keith said. “We’ll do it some other time. I’m sure you want to go home and relax.”

“I’d really like to see you.”

Exhaustion threaded through his words. Shiro needed sleep, but Keith heard himself say, “Aki’s with your ex, right? I could come by your place.”

“Do you know the Garrison Estates?”

Keith whistled under his breath. The Garrison sure paid better than a preschool teacher’s salary. “I know where it is. Text me your address. I’ll be out your way in fifteen, twenty minutes.”

“I can’t wait.”

Shiro lived in one of the newest developments going in under the shadow of the mountains. Keith had to squint to read the house numbers as he tried to find the address in the dark. He located it on a cul-de-sac, a house just like the ones to the right and left of it, with rocks in the front yard and a symmetrical cactus up-lit by a single light at its base. More lights shone on a path that led to a front door beneath an archway. Keith almost turned the bike around, but for a night with someone as good looking as Shiro, he could put up with a little bullshit. He hadn’t slept with anyone since last Memorial Day. 

He shut off the bike and made his way to the front door. 

Shiro answered the door in dark sweats and a fitted t-shirt. If possible, he was even more attractive than when he was in uniform. His hair was wet, finger styled, and it took all of Keith’s self-control not to jump him in the entryway.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey.” Shiro gave him a wide smile. “Would you like to come in?”

“Unless you want to give the neighbors a show.”

The living room had a vaulted ceiling and dark leather couches that didn’t look sat on. Keith left his shoes next to the door.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Shiro asked. “Are you hungry? I can make you something.”

“I already ate.”

“That’s right. Sorry. It’s been a long day. I can put on a movie, if you want, or we can sit out back. It’s not too cold.”

“Where’s your bedroom?” Keith asked. 

“The bedrooms are upstairs.”

“Do you have a TV in your bedroom?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Then we can watch something after.”

Keith raised an eyebrow in expectation of a reply. Shiro had obviously caught his meaning, because he reddened significantly and his eyes went dark. 

“The...the stairs are this way,” Shiro said. 

Keith followed him through a tiled kitchen and a second, more casual seating area that led to a staircase. There was a basket of toys behind a leather recliner, but beyond that, the room could’ve been clipped from a magazine. 

“How long have you lived here?” Keith asked as they headed up the stairs. 

“We bought the house two years ago in March. It was a last-ditch effort to make things work. Adam picked it out while I was away.”

“How’s the area?”

“I haven’t really gotten to see much of it. There’s a playground we go to sometimes.”

Shiro took Keith’s hand on the landing at the top of the stairs and led him through the door on their right. His palm was damp, bedroom half the width of the house and opened onto a balcony overlooking the cul-de-sac. Shiro drew the curtains.

Without the moonlight, Keith could hardly see him, but he heard Shiro’s quick breaths as he bent to kiss him. He kissed in the controlled way Keith thought he would: carefully. Slowly.

“You’re shaking,” Keith whispered and put a hand on Shiro’s chest, over his heart. It beat rapidly against his palm.

“I haven’t done this in a while,” Shiro said. “I’m not sure where to start.”

“Take off your clothes and get in bed.”

“Yes, sir.” 

There was laughter in Shiro’s voice. Keith could hear Shiro’s feet brush on the carpet, the swish of clothing being removed, the creak of a mattress. He kicked off his jeans and threw his shirt on top of them somewhere in the dark. The bed was a king. He lifted the far end of the sheets and met Shiro halfway. 

“Do you do this a lot?” Shiro said. 

“Not really.” Keith kissed him again. “Can I touch you?”

“Please, yes.”

Keith did, exploring his body with one hand, chin propped on an elbow as he watched what he could see of Shiro’s face. 

“Your hand is really warm,” Shiro said. 

“My body temp’s a little higher than most people’s.”

“Because you’re part Galran?”

“Probably.”

Without his clothes, Shiro’s body was incredible. All the guys Keith had met from the Garrison were fit, but Shiro was solid muscle and Keith was glad the lights were off. He wasn’t in poor shape by any means, but next to Shiro, he’d feel inadequate in the light. Seven years of working indoors had taken that skinny, shredded physique he’d had as a teenager and he looked, well, thirty. 

Despite his size and strength, the way Shiro touched Keith was surprisingly innocent and gentle. He put his Altean hand to Keith’s face when they kissed. It wasn’t the excited kiss of two near strangers but something soft, and a shiver went through Keith like breeze through a flock of leaves. 

He greedily ran his hands down the planes of Shiro’s back to the swell of his ass and squeezed. Shiro rested his forehead against Keith’s and took a breath. 

“I’d really like to... Is it too soon to ask if I can...”

“You can fuck me if you want. I showered before I came here.”

Shiro groaned and gathered him close. He kissed Keith’s face and chest, and with both arms around him, rolled him onto his back. A drawer opened and closed. There was the flick of a cap being opened. Keith mentally prepared himself for what would come next and held his breath as Shiro began to touch him. 

It dawned on him a few minutes later, as he threw his head back, that Takashi Shirogane was going down on him, that Takashi Shirogane’s fingers were stretching him open, that it was Takashi Shirogane’s hair he slid his hands into. Keith scraped his nails lightly across Shiro’s scalp. In response, Shiro’s throat tightened around him, and Keith, who hadn’t been touched in over half a year, tightened his hold on Shiro’s hair and moaned.

And when, a while later, Shiro was moving inside him and he said, “You feel _so good,”_ Keith teetered on the rift of pain and bliss. He gritted his teeth to stand the burn and let himself go over.

“Do it harder,” he said and this time it was Shiro who moaned, pressing Keith’s legs closer to his chest. He exhaled Keith’s name and with his left arm, steadied his neck so he could kiss him.

“I’m not going to last much longer,” Shiro said. 

Keith crossed his ankles behind Shiro’s back to draw him in. 

There were certain sounds he loved: a rare rain shower on his home’s metal roof, the howl of wind through the desert at night. He added this one, the guttural sound that broke from Shiro’s throat before he collapsed on Keith.

“You okay?” Keith asked when Shiro didn’t move after a couple minutes. 

Shiro nodded into his neck. “Can we stay like this for a bit? Am I too heavy?”

“You’re fine,” Keith said. 

Shiro had gone soft inside of him. That wasn’t the sort of thing that usually happened in these situations. Concerned and not knowing what else to do, Keith held onto him with both arms. There were light tremors in Shiro’s back.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Keith said. 

“That was the first time I’ve slept with someone since Adam. I didn’t think it would hit me so hard.”

“How long has it been?” 

“I don’t know. I can’t remember.”

“Do you want to stop?”

“No.” Shiro lifted his head to kiss Keith’s mouth, then pulled back. “Unless you do?”

“I can go a couple more rounds.”

Keith’s eyes had adjusted to the low light of the bedroom. Although Shiro was mostly in shadows, Keith could see that he was looking at him sweetly. 

“Can I get you anything?” Shiro said, tucking a piece of hair behind Keith’s ear.

“Water if you’re getting up.”

“I’ll be right back.” He pulled out slowly—it was always a strange feeling—and went into the bathroom.

Keith lay in the comfortable breeze from a ceiling fan he couldn’t see. Even though they were on the second floor, noise floated up from other houses on the block. Traffic from the main road. He should have asked for a towel, although there wasn’t much point in cleaning himself if they’d be at it again in a half hour. He’d shower before he went home. 

Shiro came back and sat on the edge of the bed, placing a glass of water on the nightstand. “I’m going to run downstairs and check my messages. Will you be all right for a few minutes?”

Even though Keith wanted to close his eyes for a while, he struggled to sit up. “I’ll come with you,” he said, not really sure why he offered. He took a sip of the water and threw back the sheet. The insides of his thighs and ass were slick with lubricant, but he swung his feet to the floor.

“I’ll get you a shirt.” Shiro opened the lowest drawer in a vanity adjacent to the bed. Keith pulled on the shirt he handed him. It hung to the tops of his thighs.

“Guess I’m a little bigger than you,” Shiro said. “Are you okay to walk?”

“You’re not _that_ good,” Keith said with a laugh. 

“I’ll try harder.”

But Keith used the handrail as they went down to the kitchen and leaned gingerly against the island where Shiro sat to check his phone. The purple hippo he’d drawn watched from the refrigerator door. 

“I’m sure she’s fine but...like I thought, no messages. And the rest of these can wait.” Shiro put his phone face down. His hair had dried and stuck up in the front. “Are you sure I can’t make you something to eat?”

“Maybe later. Is cooking a hobby of yours or something?”

“Far from it, but I’m getting better. I’ve finally mastered pancakes.”

“You’ll have to show me in the morning.” 

Shiro fingered the hem of Keith’s t-shirt. “Does...that mean you’re staying?”

“Do you want me to stay?”

The hand on his shirt was trembling. “It’s a nice night. Why don’t we go outside for a while?”

Shiro got them each a bottle of lager and they headed onto the back deck. He had a matching patio set like the kind in catalogs, with blue and white striped cushions.

“This is fancy,” Keith said. Shiro sat down on the two-person sofa. 

“I didn’t pick any of it.”

Keith sat on a single chair instead of next to him. “How come you kept the house?”

“He said he wanted a fresh start. And we didn’t want to make Aki move.” 

Keith took a long drink of his beer and set the bottle aside. It left a bitter flavor in his mouth. He teased Shiro’s leg with his foot. 

“You’re ready to go again?” Shiro asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just about. What about you?”

“I need a few more minutes. I’m not twenty-five anymore.”

He pulled Keith’s foot onto his lap and rubbed a thumb over his ankle.

“What’s that feel like?” Keith asked after a while. “Touching me with that hand?” 

“It can detect hot and cold–I can feel your body heat–but it doesn’t have the sensitivity of my real one. It is significantly stronger, though. Comfortable too. They’ve upgraded it a couple of times. Does it bother you?”

“No.” Keith pushed his foot against Shiro’s palm. “Just curious.” He sagged in the chair and pointed to the sky. “You can’t see the stars very well from here.”

“The light pollution is bad in this area.”

“You ought to get a place further from the city.”

“One day. There are good schools around here, as you know.” Shiro took a drink and wiped his mouth. “You said teaching was a backup career. Any plans for something else?”

“Not really. It pays well enough and I can have the summer off if I want, although this year I’m leading the summer programs.”

“But you like it?”

“I don’t hate it. I’m good at it.” 

They enjoyed a few more minutes of quiet. Keith slowly finished his beer and reclaimed his leg from Shiro’s lap, then stood and came to him. 

“We’re outside,” Shiro reminded him when Keith settled on his thighs, even as he looped his arms around his back and held Keith against him.

“It’s dark. No one can see us.” 

He kissed Shiro until he felt him respond, then reached down to move his robe aside.

“Keith…”

“I want you inside me again.”

“I left the condoms upstairs.”

“I just had my physical. I’m clean,” Keith said. “What about you?”

“We’re tested every month.”

“Then don’t worry about it.”

Shiro’s eyes were bright in the moonlight. He kept them open as Keith sunk down onto him, gasping with every movement Keith made with his hips. 

“How do I feel?” Keith said.

“Hot. Tight.”

“Touch me.”

Shiro put a hand between them. Keith came on the front of his robe, and put his hands on Shiro’s face, sucking on his lip when Shiro began to thrust up. Shiro’s breathing grew heavy. He groaned against Keith’s neck, biting lightly when he came himself, and licked his skin after.

“That...” Shiro panted. “Was a new experience.”

“You’ve never had sex outdoors?”

“Not since college. And never in my own yard.”

“I thought you were supposed to christen every room of a new house.”

There was a puff of laughter against his neck. “We never got around to it. Adam is a little…”

Keith bit his ear at the mention and adjusted his hips. “Sorry about your robe.”

“I’ll put it in the wash before we go to bed. Should I throw your clothes in too?”

“Might as well.”

“Okay. Hold on.” Shiro positioned his right arm under Keith and stood up.

“What are you doing?”

“Carrying you to the shower.”

“You want to do it in the shower?” Keith asked cheekily.

Shiro made an exasperated noise. “How many times are you gonna make me come tonight?”

“As many as it takes to make you stop talking about your ex.”

Shiro opened the sliding doors. “I’m sorry. I do talk about him a lot.”

“Nah, I’m sorry.” Keith tightened his arms around Shiro’s neck. “It was a bad joke. You don’t have to apologize.”

They were quiet as they went upstairs. Shiro’s shower was made for two and had a glass enclosure. He lowered Keith to the floor and started the water, then took up a green bar of soap and began to wash Keith’s body.

“You don’t have to dote on me,” Keith said but Shiro’s brows were furrowed.

“May I?”

Keith blinked in the haze of the shower spray. “Sure.” He stood still while Shiro dropped to his knees and washed his legs and feet. Shiro kissed his thigh before he reached behind him and spread Keith open. Keith squirmed and glanced away.

“Does this sting?” Shiro asked, looking up. Keith felt compelled to stroke his hair, flattened wet to his scalp.

“A little.”

“I’m sorry.” Shiro kissed his stomach as he cleaned him, which helped the embarrassment a little. He released the shower wand from its holder. “Turn this way. I’ll rinse you off.” 

Keith took it from his hand. He could do this much himself. He hissed when the hot water struck his ass, but the burn was over in a breath.

“Did I overdo it?” Shiro asked, still on his knees.

“I’m the one who climbed on you.”

He handed the wand back and helped Shiro up. 

“Can I wash your hair?” Shiro asked, taking a bottle of name-brand shampoo from a tiled alcove. 

Keith had never slept with someone who was so attentive afterwards. Maybe it was a kink. He stood still as Shiro worked shampoo into his scalp.

“Your hair’s long,” Shiro said. “You usually wear it back so I couldn’t tell.”

“I’ve been meaning to get it cut for a while, but I keep forgetting.”

“I like it this way. Close your eyes.” Shiro rinsed Keith’s hair, then turned and quickly cleaned himself.

“Your arm’s waterproof?” Keith asked, wiping water out of his eyes, and he touched the metal of Shiro’s arm.

“I’m not supposed to submerge it in deep water, but it’s fine in the shower or rain, and I can swim.” 

Shiro shut off the water and got them each a towel twice the thickness of any Keith owned. Keith dried his hair and wrapped the towel around his waist. Shiro switched on the bedroom light and opened a narrow closet cut into the wall.

“I’m going to change the sheets.” 

Keith was going to object–they’d only get them dirty again–but Shiro had already removed the cover and stripped the fitted sheet. Keith watched from the bathroom doorway as Shiro made perfect hospital corners the way his dad did. Shiro had left his towel in the bathroom. He had no tan lines, and hopefully no plans for swimming tomorrow–Keith had left claw marks down his back. He put the t-shirt back on and hung the towel from the doorknob. 

“I’m running the laundry downstairs,” Shiro said. A few seconds later, Keith was charmed by the sound of running feet on the tile floor, soon drowned out by the washing machine. 

Shiro came back and changed into a pair of long sleep pants. “We could watch something,” he said, putting on a pair of glasses from a bedside drawer. “Or are you tired?”

It had been a couple years since things had progressed to a sleepover. What was the protocol? Normally Keith would make an excuse to go home, but he’d been drinking, and he desperately wanted Shiro to touch him again. “TV’s fine.” He settled at a distance against the second pillow. 

“I don’t bite,” Shiro said.

“I’ve got a mark on my neck that says otherwise. I’ll have to wear a scarf Monday.”

“I’m sorry,” Shiro said, although he didn’t look the least bit apologetic. “I didn’t even think of that. I’ll be more careful.”

Keith slouched against him while Shiro flipped through TV channels.

“This is a nice mattress,” he said for lack of conversation. 

Shiro started to say something that sounded suspiciously like his ex’s first name, but stopped himself before it came out. “I was thinking of getting one of those memory foam ones.”

He stopped on a news channel and cast the remote aside, bringing his hand to rub Keith’s bare neck. 

“Never slept on one of those.” Keith yawned like a cat and closed his eyes. Beneath his ear, Shiro’s heart beat soundly.

* * *

Keith dreamed of stars and the next thing he knew, it was morning. 

It took a few seconds to remember where he was. The room looked different in daylight. It contained heavy furniture with a dark reddish stain, like something in a mid-priced hotel, and somehow didn’t look like furniture Shiro would pick out. 

Keith sniffed and turned his head. Shiro wasn’t in bed any longer. Keith laid a hand on his pillow. It was cool. The scent of coffee hung in the air. 

An unwrapped toothbrush waited for him on the bathroom counter. Keith washed up and went downstairs. The first floor was bright in the daylight. Morning sun flooded through the glass slider and reflected off of the white tile floor. Shiro sat on a metal stool at the island with a cup of coffee and a tablet. When Keith reach the lowest step, he turned his head.

“You’re up.” He smiled like he’d seen something beautiful. “Good morning.”

“Morning.”

A sophisticated red coffee machine, the kind from a coffee house, beckoned to him from the counter. Keith beelined toward it.

“I’ll get that for you,” Shiro said but Keith shook his head.

“I’m fine.” He poured a cup from the waiting carafe and let the steam ease his eyes open. “Have you been up long?”

“A couple hours,” Shiro said. “It’s hard for me to sleep past five.”

Keith snorted into his cup. “You’re like my mom. Let me drink this and I’ll get out of your way.”

“I thought you were staying for breakfast?” Shiro looked hopeful, like Kosmo when he’d done something he thought deserved a treat. Keith took a long sip of coffee. 

“This is good.”

“I learned to make it when I was a cadet. Here.” Shiro pulled out the stool next to him, but Keith pointed to the dark leather sofa against the wall and sunk into the middle. The leather was cool against his thighs. Shiro gathered his things and joined him.

“I thought you’d be an early riser,” he said.

“Only by force.”

Chuckling, Shiro put a hand on Keith’s knee and resumed reading. Keith enjoyed his coffee in silence. After a while Shiro said, “Oh, your clothes are dry.”

“I appreciate it. My washer’s busted.”

“You can use mine anytime.”

Keith took the sentiment for what it was. A few more sips of coffee and their relationship would have run its course. 

“Let me know when you’re hungry,” Shiro said. “I’ll start breakfast.”

Keith took the last sip and closed his eyes. “Do you work today?”

“Only if there’s an emergency. Are you in a hurry to get home?”

“No. I just don’t want to get in your way.”

There was a tap as Shiro laid the tablet on the coffee table, and then Shiro’s lips were touching the corner of Keith’s mouth. He took the empty cup from his hands.

“Have you ever done it on this couch?” Keith whispered.

“Yes.”

“What about the counter?”

Shiro shook his head.

“Carry me,” Keith said, triumphant when Shiro lifted him off of the sofa, when the backs of his legs hit the cold granite.

“I was going to use this counter to cook,” Shiro said and Keith wrapped his legs around him.

“But I want your mouth on me.”

He liked the way Shiro looked when he blushed. He liked him better when his eyes were blown wide and Keith was licking come from his lips. 

“You,” Shiro spoke between breaths. “Are so hot.”

“You give good head. You can make me breakfast now.”

Shiro’s laugh was stained with disbelief. “I need to disinfect the counter,” he said and hid a bite on the inside of Keith’s thigh. 

* * *

The pancakes were better than his father’s. Keith ate them naked on a bar stool, balancing his plate in the air.

“How were they?” Shiro asked, smiling, looking as though he already knew. He tasted like butter and maple syrup, the real kind.

“As good as promised. Let me help you with the dishes.”

“I’m going to put them in the dishwasher.”

“I’ll do it,” Keith said. He took care of the plates while Shiro finished his coffee. “You said my clothes are dry?”

“They’re folded on the dryer. First door on the right. If you don’t want to put them on right away, we could go back upstairs.”

“I’m a little sore. Is it okay if I borrow your shower again?”

“Of course.”

There was something stiff in his smile when he said that. Keith didn’t meditate on it. He made liberal use of Shiro’s hot water and name-brand shampoo, and had his jacket over his arm when he came back downstairs. 

Shiro was still at the counter reading. He stood up when Keith approached.

“All set?”

Keith nodded. “Thanks for breakfast.”

Shiro brushed the undersides of Keith’s fingertips. “Next time, I really will buy you dinner.”

Next time. Keith glanced out the slider and pursed his lips. He wasn’t exactly doing anything today and the sex was fantastic. “Do you have plans for later?”

Shiro’s eyes widened and his smile widened. He slowly shook his head.

“Meet me at eight,” Keith said.

“Same place?”

“Same place.” 

If they were having dinner together in a few hours, then this wasn’t a one-night stand and it was fine to kiss goodbye. It felt friendly.

His body ached with a self-indulgent discomfort on the ride home. It has been a few years since he’d been fucked that thoroughly. He took it easy once he got to the house, going through the motions of a typical Saturday (vacuuming, bills) and once the place was clean, found himself reflecting on last night. It had been unprofessional at best, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.

Seven hours to go. 

He passed them at his parents’ house eating leftover chili and giving the bike a tune-up while his sheets dried. His dad had more pictures of the fire station’s new engine, and Keith and his mother patiently watched the slideshow.

“Isn’t she a beauty?” His dad shook his head and switched off the screen. “Keith, are you staying for dinner?”

“Not tonight, sorry. I’m meeting a friend.”

“Oh?” said Krolia, far too knowingly. “Anyone I know?”

She’d seen through his lies from the time he’d learned to speak. Keith sighed. 

“I’m meeting Shiro.”

“I don’t think I know him,” said his dad. “Was he one of your high school buddies?”

“He works with mom on the base.”

“Oh, you mean the commander! Your mother was telling me you were friends with him. I guess he’s about your age. There were a lot of stories about him a few years ago. He and his husband had that cute little girl. She reminded me of you when you were little.”

“His husband’s out of the picture,” Krolia said.

“Is that so? Well. I hope you enjoy your dinner.”

Keith felt himself redden. “It’s not like that between us. He’s just a friend.”

Luckily, they dropped the subject and started on about a second honeymoon they were taking in a few weeks. When he left an hour later, his mother stopped him in the driveway. 

“If you’re intimately involved with him, I hope you’re being safe.”

“I said it’s not like that.”

She gave him a long look.

“I’m an adult,” he muttered. “You don’t have to give me the talk.”

“I’ve heard that hemorrhoids can be a concern.” 

“Bye, mom.”

He kissed her cheek. She passed him a box of condoms.

“I didn’t like this brand but maybe you will.”

Keith flushed so hard he probably looked Galran and nearly dropped the bag of clean laundry. As soon as he got home, he buried the condoms in the back of his sock drawer and researched washing machines.

* * *

He arrived at the bar twelve minutes early. 

Shiro was waiting outside in sunglasses and a black leather jacket, and when he saw Keith, he waved and called his name. Something went liquid inside of him, like sunlit water. Keith grinned and held the door, and Shiro put a hand to Keith’s lower back as the host led them to a table. 

Conversation was easy. They talked with their eyes.

“You want to split dessert again?” Keith asked, kicking Shiro’s boots under the table.

“I’ve got ice cream in my freezer,” Shiro said and from the way he leaned on his hand and pushed the dessert menu away, Keith knew they weren’t talking about ice cream.

In the end, they never ate it. They didn’t make it past the couch inside the front door.

“You paid again,” Keith scolded with his teeth against Shiro’s throat. 

“You can pay next time.” Yesterday’s shyness was gone. Shiro gripped both of them in his fist and kissed like he meant it. “I want you to stay tonight. Please say you’ll stay.”

“Yeah,” Keith said. “Anything.”

They went a couple rounds on the couch. Sometime around midnight, they showered and got into bed from the same side. Shiro curled around him and whispered goodnight. He was still there in the morning, checking his phone with one hand, his Altean arm beneath Keith’s head.

“Adam took her for ice cream last night,” Shiro said when he noticed Keith was awake. He turned the screen so Keith could see the picture of her with a green ice cream cone.

“Cute,” Keith said. His left arm was numb from lying on it but he was too comfortable to move.

“He spoils her. Well, I guess I used to do that.”

“My mom was like that whenever she came home, too. How long is he back on Earth?”

“About eight weeks.”

“Is Aki coming home soon?”

“Not until tonight.” Shiro set the phone down and stretched his arm. “I can’t remember the last time I stayed in bed this long.”

“We went to sleep pretty late.”

“Do you want coffee?”

Keith slid a hand over Shiro’s stomach and into his shorts. “In a bit.” He ground his erection against Shiro’s hip.

“Part of you is awake,” Shiro said, laughing.

“I’m in bed with a hot guy. What do you expect?”

“I haven’t had this much sex in years.”

“It’s a shame. You’ve got a great body.”

“Would you like me if I didn’t?” 

Shiro sounded serious. Keith pressed his face to Shiro’s side and nodded against his ribcage. 

“I liked you from the day I met you.”

“Even though I was an asshole?”

“I thought you were going to punch me.”

“And that turned you on?” Shiro said. 

Keith pushed back the sheet and mouthed at Shiro’s stomach. “It was the way you interacted with your daughter. You were really sweet.”

The weight of Shiro’s hand settled on his hair. “I look forward to seeing you every day.”

The conversation was naked and honest. Keith was surprisingly unbothered by it. 

“Can I go down on you?” he said and Shiro’s laughter made his list of favorite sounds.

* * *

For a month they hooked up any evening Shiro was free (sometimes dinner and always sex–and always at Shiro’s place). Keith found himself thinking about him during the day, and in the evenings when he sat alone with the cat, could feel Shiro’s hands on him.

In the seven years he’d been teaching, Keith had never been inclined to have a relationship with a parent. Most were married, or not his type, or simply not looking. The temporary pleasure had never seemed worth the awkwardness that would inevitably follow a breakup–even if all they did was sleep together. He’d never be intentionally cruel to a child, but he couldn’t rule out the possibility that lingering anger could snake into the classroom. But in those seven years, there hadn’t been anyone who looked at him the way Shiro did. 

The first few days in March were warm enough to sleep with the windows open and the sun had Keith out of bed by six. He’d spent a lifetime in the desert but was still struck by the beauty of his surroundings. The horizon at sunrise was a deep orange bleeding up into a blue sky, and for the first time in longer than he could remember, he wanted to paint it. 

On the way to work, he passed the small art store he’d frequented in college. He hadn’t stopped in for a couple years, but it still smelled of paper and pine. He strolled leisurely through the aisles. They’d moved the oil paints since the last time he’d been in. He found them close to the back near the framing counter, and stood debating three different shades of yellow. Shiro was definitely awake at this time. Keith sent him a photograph.

_Which one looks most like the sunrise?_

Shiro wrote back a moment later. _Aki says the one on the right._

_That was my first choice. Tell her thank you._

_Adam has her again this weekend if you’re free._

Keith was getting spoiled. They couldn’t keep up this pace indefinitely and he was afraid he was already hooked on it. It was time to start distancing himself. This relationship, if he could call it that, was finite. He knew that. Shiro knew that. It wouldn’t end in wedding bells.

 _Sure_ , he wrote anyway and then added, _I could still feel you inside me this morning._

Shiro was more flushed than usual when he dropped Aki off twenty minutes later. Keith squeezed his arm when he wished him a good day. And if he sent filthy messages throughout the afternoon, imagining Shiro discomposed in a conference room because of them, well, the sex would be even hotter that weekend.

* * *

Three weeks into the month, a stomach bug took out most of the students for at least two days. Keith was lucky he hadn’t come down with it himself. Aki was one of the few without symptoms. Friday morning, Riley called out and there were only six students in class, so Keith managed it alone with someone from the office stepping in while he had lunch. He was looking forward to an evening in Shiro’s bed and not having to clean up another mess, but as he was packing a bag for the night, his phone rang.

“Hey,” Shiro said. “Would you mind if we had a change of plans? A few of my old teammates are back on Earth and they invited me to play M&M tonight.”

Keith was irrationally annoyed by the last-minute cancellation but tried to keep it out of his voice. He stuffed the extra t-shirt back into the drawer. “Course not. You should definitely go see them.” 

“I was hoping you’d come with me. We’re meeting at a bar. I figured we could have dinner and go home from there.”

“Oh.” Keith bit back his pleasure. “Sure. You want me to meet you there?”

“It’s out your way. Why don’t I pick you up in about twenty minutes?”

“I’m dressed for our usual place.”

“Then you’re overdressed. This place is a dive.”

“Okay,” Keith laughed. “My house is pretty easy to find. I’ll send you directions.”

Shiro rolled into his driveway fourteen minutes later. Keith threw his bag into the footwell and pulled himself up into the car.

“I’m really excited for you to meet these guys,” Shiro said. He drove with a hand on Keith’s knee. “They were my crew on my first mission. I trained two of them myself. They’ve been out for a couple years on different ships, so this is the first time we’ve all been able to hang out in a while.”

“Are you sure I should tag along for this?”

“I’ve wanted to see you all week.”

“You see me every day.”

“You know what I mean,” Shiro said and kissed him at the next red light. 

The bar was called the Launchpad, but you wouldn’t know by looking at it. There had never been a sign on the outside of the one-story brick building. Just inside the front door was a banged-up pool table where an unsteady human squared off with a Galran over a stack of cash next to the center pocket. Shiro, in a leather jacket and jeans, picked his way through tipsy patrons who called out to him by name, smiling gallantly at them and reaching back for Keith’s hand. Keith recognized a fair number from his college days, including a few he’d rather forget, and threw half-hearted waves at a couple.

Shiro’s friends were waiting in a semi-private room in the back. They cheered, probably a few drinks in, when Shiro entered, but the atmosphere abruptly changed when they noticed Keith behind him. 

The bench was U-shaped, vinyl held together with tape. Shiro slid in first. 

“Keith this is Lance, Hunk, and Pidge. Guys, this is Keith.”

Pidge was a petite, spritely young woman in her late twenties–the daughter of one of the Garrison’s most noted commanders. (They’d technically met as kids at a Garrison holiday party some twenty years ago. After stealing punch, Keith had spent the evening drawing caricatures of their parents on the tablecloths and Pidge, seven, had hacked into the building’s controls and programmed the holiday lights to blink in time with space chatter.) Lance, a pilot like Shiro, looked like a slightly aged-up frat boy but there was something genuine to his smile, and Hunk was looking at Keith with an open mouth.

“Keith Kogane?”

Keith was preparing himself for the usual round of questions when he looked more closely at Hunk’s face. He was ten years older, but Keith could never forget that smile. 

“Oh, man. I didn’t recognize you.” He stuck out a hand. “How’ve you been?”

“You know each other?” Shiro asked.

“We grew up on the same street,” Hunk said. “I tried to call you maybe five years ago but you’d changed your number.”

“Sorry. The old one got out.”

“Out?” Lance said.

“Sometimes people would harass him because he’s half Galran,” Hunk said. 

Lance balked. “You’re half Galran?” 

Pidge looked at Lance with disappointment. 

“Why didn’t you ask my mom for my new number?” Keith said to Hunk. “She would’ve given it to you.”

“Is it weird I’m still afraid of her?”

“I don’t know why. She always liked you. Wasn’t she your flight instructor?”

“Wait, your mom is Commander Kogane?” Lance said. “She’s like, a legend! She can fly through anything.”

“I’ll take your word on that,” Keith said.

Lance narrowed his eyes. “I’ve never seen you in the league before. What are you doing with Shiro?”

“He’s my boyfriend,” Shiro said at the same time Keith answered, “I’m a friend.”

Hunk looked around with a nervous grin. “Okay, that was awkward, right? Did anyone else think that was awkward?”

“Hunk,” Pidge said through her teeth. Hunk pretended to zip his mouth closed.

“Boyfriend, huh?” Lance said, leering. “Shopping for a replacement already?”

“Shut up, Lance!” Pidge smacked his arm and looked Keith in the eye. “I’d like to apologize for both of them. They’ve been in space too long.”

“It’s fine,” Keith said, and since he wasn’t driving, poured a full beer from the pitcher on the table. “You want one?” he offered Shiro, who shook his head but took a sip from Keith’s glass. 

“How do you guys drink this dishwater?” Shiro said, wiping his mouth.

“It’s cheap,” Pidge said. “Not all of us have your salary.” She gestured toward the game board. They’d set it up on the rickety table, stabilized with a menu folded in half. “Keith, are you familiar with the game?”

“It’s been a few years since I’ve played, but I remember the basics. Does anyone mind if I’m a thief?”

“That’s what I usually am,” Lance said, folding his arms. 

“Then we’ll have _two_ thieves,” Shiro said. “I’m going to be a paladin.”

“You’re always a paladin,” Hunk said. 

“And I always go first.”

“He also dies the most,” Lance said under his breath. 

When the first round of turns ended, he cleaned his hands on a napkin and sat back crookedly, cocking his head to one side as he gave Keith a good once-over. “So, Keith. What do you do for a living?”

Keith took his time answering. “I’m a preschool teacher.”

“Oh, that’s so admirable,” Hunk said sincerely. “Shaping the next generation of little minds. I’m telling you, I wouldn’t have the patience. I’m actually shocked you picked that as your vocation. Pidge, it’s your turn.”

Pidge rolled the die. “Is that how you and Shiro met?”

“He’s Aki’s teacher,” Shiro said. 

Lance scowled. “You’re sleeping with your kid’s teacher?” 

“Do you have to be so crude?” Hunk said but Lance wasn’t deterred. 

“What does Adam think about that?”

When Keith snuck a glance at him, Shiro was looking at the board and frowning. “Considering he threatened to end our relationship if I accepted the New Altea run, claiming it was because of my health, and will shortly be off flying the same route he said was going to ruin our family, I don’t really care what Adam thinks.”

“So he doesn’t know,” Pidge said. Shiro shook his head.

“Sounds like you’re still holding onto some anger,” Hunk said. “It would be healthier to let that go.”

Keith felt like the kid who’d wandered into the wrong classroom by mistake on the first day of school, but he wasn’t about to lose face or embarrass Shiro by reacting to the conversation. He put a hand on Shiro’s leg and drained his glass.

“I’ll tell Adam when I’m ready,” Shiro said. “I know I can’t force you, but I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t say anything to him if you see him.” He balled up his napkin. “Keith, can I get up?” 

Keith stiffened and removed his hand. They slid out of the booth.

“Lance is sorry,” Hunk said. “We’ll change the subject. You guys don’t have to leave.”

“We’re not leaving. I need the bathroom,” Shiro said. He laid a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Will you be all right for a minute?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” Keith sat back down, sliding into the place where Shiro had been beside Hunk. The vinyl was warm.

“Sorry if it seems like we’re ganging up on you,” Pidge said. 

Lance nodded. “It’s just that Shiro went through a really hard time not that long ago, between the accident and Adam almost leaving him. And then Adam _did_ leave him while we were away. None of us want to see him go through that again.”

“But you seem great together,” Hunk said, glancing to the other two. “They do, don’t they? Seem great.”

“Adam seemed great,” Lance muttered.

“Adam _is_ great,” Pidge said. “As a pilot.”

“Are we finished talking about him?” Keith said. 

They stopped speaking. He refilled his glass and slid the empty pitcher to the edge of the table, skimming an inch of foam off the top before he spoke again.

“Look. I know you’re just trying to protect him, but you’re not doing him any favors.” He felt like he was lecturing a timid parent and took a breath. “I came here tonight because it was important to him that I meet you. I don’t really care what you think of me, but I’m not gonna sit here and let you beat up on him. So if you’re gonna keep this up, I’m gonna take him home because I’d much rather be riding his dick than hearing how great his ex is.”

He smiled and downed his glass. 

Hunk blinked several times. “You said you’re a preschool teacher now?”

Keith raised an eyebrow. “You think we don’t have personal lives?”

“I like him,” Lance said. “He’s honest.”

“What’s with the long faces?” Shiro asked, re-appearing beside the table. He’d calmed down in the few minutes he’d been away and slid in next to Keith, putting an arm behind his back.

“Just talking while we wait for you to get back,” Keith said and let the beer convince him it was a good idea to kiss Shiro on the cheek, loudly. “It’s your turn to roll, babe.”

He didn’t miss the excitement in Shiro’s eyes when he said that. Two rounds later, there was no more talk of past relationships, and Shiro died for the second time. 

“I don’t believe it,” Keith said, staring at the die on the game board. “No one else has died once.”

“I told you,” Shiro said. 

“We think he’s cursed,” said Hunk. “Multiple deaths every time without fail.”

“It’s the price he has to pay for actual immortality,” Pidge said. 

Lance nodded. “Karma.”

By the last round, they were all laughing. Keith had taken off his coat and was tucked against Shiro’s side, feeding him every other bite of tasteless chocolate cake.

“Okay, this is actually adorable,” Hunk said, looking at them. “It’s like you’re in high school again instead of your thirties. Except you never dated anyone in high school.”

“You never dated anyone?” Shiro said and sounded awfully charmed by it. 

“Shut up,” Keith said. 

Lance sighed. “They’re making me jealous.”

“You have a girlfriend, Lance,” Pidge said. 

“Yeah, on New Altea. Do you know how far that is? It’s like...a couple galaxies from here.”

“I swear he’s a better pilot than astronomer,” Shiro said. 

He died once more before the game ended. Keith and Lance drank the last of the beer. As they were putting on their jackets, Lance approached and stuck out of hand. “Keith, I’m sorry for what I said earlier. You seem like a decent guy and Shiro looks really happy.”

He shook hands like a soldier–firmly, with eye contact. 

“I appreciate it. Good luck out there.”

“Thanks. I hope I see you next time I’m on planet.”

“Definitely.”

“Shiro, good seeing you as always,” Hunk said. “Keith, great catching up with you. We’ll get a beer next time I’m back. Pidge, Pidge, those are my keys. Hey, I’m driving! Excuse me...” 

“He hasn’t changed.” Keith nudged Shiro in the shoulder and nodded toward the bar. “Do you want to get a drink while we’re out?”

“I’ve been up since five,” Shiro said with a shade of apology. “Would you mind if I took you home?”

Keith forced a smile. “Course not.”

They didn’t talk much on the ride. Shiro pulled into the driveway and put the car into park, but he didn’t turn off the engine. Keith kicked the bag of clothes at his feet and felt foolish for bringing it. 

“It means a lot that you came with me,” Shiro said. “I know they’re not the easiest bunch to be around, but they’re good people.”

“I had fun.”

“Adam can only keep her tonight so I won’t see you until Monday.”

Keith nodded. He unfastened his seatbelt and leaned across the center console, putting a hand to Shiro’s face and kissing him until he needed to draw breath.

“Come inside.”

“I want to, but I don’t think I can stay awake another thirty minutes.”

“So we’ll sleep. If you’re this tired you shouldn’t be driving.”

Shiro shut off the car. He found a spare t-shirt in the trunk and followed Keith inside.

“This is the style of house I want,” he said, closing the door. “It looks like it belongs on the land. Do you own it?” 

“Yeah. Put your stuff anywhere.” Keith dropped his shoes by the door. “Do you want anything before bed? Glass of wine? I think I have tea.”

“Thank you, but I’m going to shower and lie down if that’s okay.”

“Yeah. I’ll be in in a few minutes. Towels are in the closet.”

While Shiro showered, Keith took care of the few dishes in the sink. The cat stared at him through the sliding doors. He set out a bowl for it but didn’t sit down like usual. 

“Sorry,” Keith said. “You’re on your own tonight.”

He was quiet when he entered the bedroom, awed by the sight of Shiro already asleep. There’d never been anybody in this bed but him. Keith closed the bathroom door before he turned on the light so the rattling noise from the fan wouldn’t wake him. And when he slipped into bed, the sheets were already warm. The mattress sagged under Shiro’s weight, making it impossible not to touch, though Keith didn’t need the excuse to fit his body against him. 

Shiro woke long enough to put an arm around him and murmur goodnight. After that he went still, and Keith listened to his breathing, to the desert wind over the roof.

* * *

There was movement in the room before the sun came up. Keith managed to open one eye when someone sat on the edge of the bed.

“Shiro?”

“Good morning.” Shiro was already dressed. Keith caught hints of coffee and toothpaste, and he made a satisfied noise when Shiro gently rubbed the back of his neck. “You know, you can call me Takashi if you want.”

Keith’s brain was only half awake. “You told me to call you Shiro.”

Shiro laughed softly. “We weren’t sleeping together then. I’d really like it if you’d use my first name now.”

“Okay.”

“I made coffee.” He dropped a kiss on Keith’s forehead. “It should still be warm when you get up.”

Keith nodded but didn’t open his eyes. “Are you headed out?”

“Yeah. I need to take care of a few things around the house before he drops her off. Go back to sleep, baby. It’s only seven.”

“Kay. See you Monday.” 

He thought he might have dreamed the conversation, but he found Shiro’s orange t-shirt on the bathroom floor, and the coffee was still hot when he poured a cup an hour later.

* * *

Keith hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the word _boyfriend_ since it had come out of Shiro’s mouth. Strictly speaking, he’d never been someone’s boyfriend before. A couple flings back in college had lasted longer than most, but they’d all ended after a few weeks once the sex became routine and Keith proved to be no more or less interesting than any other human. 

What did the word mean, anyway? That they weren’t sleeping with anyone else? Did Shiro think they were dating? A handful of dinners aside, the majority of their relationship had been spent naked. 

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Keith said to Riley as they set up chairs Monday morning. “Let’s say you’ve been hanging out with someone for a while, and when they introduce you to some people, they call you their girlfriend. What... what do you do?”

She looked at him through widened eyes. “You’ve been seeing someone?”

“Sort of. ”

“If you’re not interested in taking things further, you’d better let them know before you give them the wrong idea.”

“I didn’t say I’m not into it. But we’ve never talked about that and it caught me off guard.”

She took down the last chair and wiped her hands on her smock. “You like this person?”

“I like him a lot.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“It’s just that up until now things have been...physical.”

She gave him a long look. “Have you never dated somebody before?”

Keith glanced to the door and back. Kids would start arriving any minute. “Just tell me what I’m supposed to do.”

“Ask him out.”

“Out,” Keith repeated.

“On a date. He’ll say yes since he already thinks you’re together.”

“He does?”

“Keith, a guy isn’t going to call you his boyfriend by accident. Especially not when he’s introducing you to other people. How long have you known him?”

“A few months. We met in November.”

“Think of something you like to do and invite him to do it with you. And I am not talking about sex.”

Keith blinked. “Is that it? We just do stuff together?”

“Pretty much. You eat, watch movies, cheer each other up when you’re having a bad day. It’s called a relationship.”

“And you think he definitely wants that.”

“If I’m wrong, I’ll buy you lunch for a month. And you know what I make.”

“Okay, thanks.” There were footsteps in the hallway. From the rhythm, they could only belong to one person. “I’ll handle the first few. Why don’t you run down and get your coffee.”

“Yeah? Thanks,” she said. “I thought we had a few more minutes. Do you want me to bring you a cup?”

“Two sugars.” 

“You’ve got it. Oh, good morning, Commander! Aki. Just let me sneak past you.”

Once she’d gone, Shiro glanced down the hall and kissed the corner of Keith’s mouth while Aki’s back was turned. “Morning.”

“Hey.” Keith blushed like a high schooler when he looked Shiro in the eye. “Good morning, Aki.”

“Hi,” she said and sat down at the table, pulling out the markers.

“He’s got her tomorrow,” Shiro said quietly. “I thought we could order takeout.”

“Takeout sounds good.”

Riley’s advice circled his brain. If Shiro really thought they were dating, that wasn’t so bad. Keith didn’t want to stop seeing him yet. They were physically compatible and Shiro made him laugh. From past experience, he knew things would come to a natural end eventually, but maybe this one didn’t have to be so soon.

“Hey, so…” Keith accepted Aki’s backpack and hung it on her peg. “The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend. I was thinking of going riding Saturday if you want to come with me.”

“I don’t have a bike,” Shiro said. “I sold mine a few years ago.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Keith said quickly, determined to move past the rejection, but Shiro touched his shoulder. 

“I’d love to go otherwise.”

Keith swallowed. “You could borrow my dad’s.”

“Wouldn’t you rather go riding with him?”

“He and my mom are going out of town this weekend. I’m dog sitting.”

“What time Saturday?”

“I’ll probably go after breakfast. That way it doesn’t get too hot. But I could push it to evening.”

“After breakfast is fine. Should I meet you somewhere?”

“I can give you my folks’ address.”

“It’s a date.” Shiro smiled at Keith, then checked his watch. “I’ve got to go. Aki, I’ll see you after school. Can you look at daddy for a second? I love you. Bye, Keith. I’ll see you later.”

“Have a good day,” Keith said. Shiro held his gaze and ducked into the hall. Keith stared stupidly after him. 

“Your coffee, two sugars,” Riley said, coming back with a cup a few seconds later. She studied his face. “You’re all red. What happened?”

“Huh? Nothing.”

Her face said she didn’t believe him, but she pointed to the table where Aki was waving a yellow marker in his direction. “I think someone’s waiting for you.”

* * *

They spent Tuesday evening in Shiro’s bed with Chinese takeout and a thriller. Shiro kept a hand on Keith’s stomach and kissed his shoulder repeatedly across the two-hour running time. When the movie was over, he switched off the television and nestled against Keith’s back. 

“Do you mind if we sleep like this?”

“You’re going to sleep already?” Keith said. 

Shiro reached around him and slid a hand inside Keith’s briefs. Keith moaned quietly. “I love the sounds you make,” Shiro whispered. He got him off slowly, using his mouth at the end. Keith reached for him.

“Let me touch you.”

“I’m about to fall asleep.” Yawning, Shiro lay back down and stroked Keith’s face. “I just wanted to make you feel good.”

Keith didn’t know what to say. “I’ll get you in the morning.”

Shiro nodded against his lips. “Night.”

* * *

The bedroom flooded with sunlight and the scent of coffee. Keith woke to the sensation of a hand stroking his hair. It stilled when he moved. 

“It’s five thirty,” Shiro whispered.

The only thing Keith disliked about sleeping over was how much earlier he had to get up. That extra half-hour of sleep was spent driving instead. But Shiro made damn good coffee. 

“I’ll get up in a minute.” Keith reached behind him and felt for Shiro’s hip. Shiro took the hint, grinding against him until Keith’s eyes watered and he had the energy to roll over and push him down. 

They showered together and left the house at the same time. Shiro kissed him goodbye in the driveway.

“He might keep her tonight. I’ve got a late meeting.”

“Are you telling me to come over or that you won’t see me for a bit?”

“I don’t know how late I’ll get back.”

“I can wait.”

“Then...” Shiro took him by the wrist and led him back to the door. He touched the computer screen. Keith held his right hand to the fingerprint scanner to create a profile. 

“I’ll think of something to make for dinner,” he said.

* * *

He brought the leftovers to work on Thursday. Shiro had Aki again until the weekend, but he sent Keith a text to say goodnight the two they were apart. Keith kept both.

Come the weekend, he voluntarily got out of bed early. It was predicted to be a sunny day, temperatures in the seventies. Perfect for riding. He ate and dressed, then prepared lunch for two before heading to his parents’ house to let the dog out. Kosmo could technically go outside on his own, but if he was left alone for too long, he might dig a hole in the sofa again. He raced circles around the kitchen when Keith came in through the garage door. 

“Someone’s lonely.” Keith dropped to the ground to scratch behind Kosmo’s ears. “Did you try to follow them? I’m sorry, bud. You should’ve come to my house. Let’s go out and then I’ll feed you.”

Kosmo yelped and teleported them to the back yard. The older Keith got, the more disorienting that became. He found one of Kosmo’s grungy toys among the rocks and threw it for him. Kosmo barked and dashed after it. 

He’d come to Earth on board an Altean ship a few years after Keith was born–a gift for the Human-Galran child. It had taken years to train him not to follow Keith to school. At first, he’d appear on the bus or in first period, usually with a toy in his mouth, and zap Keith home. He still ran like a puppy. Keith threw the ball as far as he could each time and Kosmo didn’t tire. 

They played for a healthy twenty minutes before Keith checked his phone. Shiro should’ve been here by now but he didn’t answer when Keith called. It wasn’t like him to cancel without notice. Running late, on the other hand, was his calling card. He’d give him a few more minutes. Keith put their food into the bike’s compartment with a couple drinks and was refilling the dog bowls when his phone rang.

“Did you get lost?” Keith said.

“Please tell me you didn’t leave yet.” 

“I was waiting for you to call me back.”

“I’m on my way. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Take your time. I’m playing with the dog.”

Kosmo was on his fifteenth consecutive retrieval when a loud car pulled into the driveway. He barked and ran around the side of the house.

“Don’t worry, he’s friendly,” Keith called, jogging around to meet Shiro. Kosmo was on his hind legs with his paws on Shiro’s chest. “Kosmo, get down.”

The dog yelped and sat at Shiro’s feet. 

“I’ve never seen this species in person.” Shiro scratched his ears and Kosmo sloppily panted. “How old is he?”

“About as old as I am. They’ve got a pretty long life span. Are you ready to go?”

“Would you mind if I use the bathroom before we head out?”

“Course not. It’s this way.” He led Shiro inside through the garage door. “Bathroom’s there.” 

Keith used the time to rinse his coffee mug. Shiro joined him at the sink.

“Sorry I’m late. Aki had an accident and I had to clean her up before I took her to Adam’s.”

“I know how that goes.”

“Anyway, hi.” Shiro kissed the back of his neck. 

“I’ll lock the back slider and we can head out.”

Shiro followed him into the living room and stopped in front of the fireplace. “That’s a cool painting. Is that Daibazaal?”

“Yeah, I made that back in high school.”

“That’s yours?” Shiro said. His voice rose on a note of surprise. 

“I’ve always been kind of fascinated with where my mom came from. She’s never gone back. Claims she’s happy here with me and my pop. I wouldn’t mind seeing it one day, though.”

“Maybe I can fly you.” Shiro kissed his mouth this time. “Is it wrong that I want to touch you in your parents’ house?”

Keith grinned. “You want to do it in my old room?”

“Yes,” Shiro admitted. “But let’s get going. I haven’t been riding in years.”

Keith locked up and gave Kosmo a firm command to stay home, then led Shiro into the garage. He whistled as Keith pulled the tarp off of his dad’s bike. 

“It’s vintage. Are you sure he won’t mind me riding this?”

“Nah. He’s been talking about selling it. He really doesn’t take it out much anymore. My mom’s not into riding and with me not living at home...” 

“I wish I had a place to store it.”

“Do you need a refresher or do you remember how they work?”

“I think I’m okay,” Shiro said. He patted his chest. “My riding jacket still fits.”

The jacket was dark leather and heavily padded at the elbows. It hugged his chest in all the right places.

“Looks good on you,” Keith said. He ran his hand slowly down the front, then turned and cleared his throat. “Should I tell you where we’re headed or are you planning to follow me?”

“I trust you.”

Keith put on his helmet. “Hope you can keep up.”

* * *

Shiro sped after him across the reddish-orange desert. He was rusty, but given a few days of practice, keeping up with him would be a challenge. He was careful with the bike, avoiding obstacles and not following when Keith nosedived off a steep overhang. 

They stopped after forty minutes and left the bikes a distance from a low cliff. Keith settled on the edge, letting his legs hang over, and leaned back on his hands. There was no one else around for miles. He closed his eyes against the warm breeze.

“This is my favorite spot in the world. I found this place when I was fifteen. Bunch of kids at school were being dicks and I got into a fight. Dad got pissed at me for getting suspended so I figured fuck it, might as well leave. Ended up sitting here most of a day.”

“But you went home?” 

Keith laughed. “The dog found me.” 

“Aren’t you nervous sitting on the edge?” Shiro said.

“Scared?”

“A little. If I fall, you’ll have a hell of a time getting me back.”

“I’m stronger than I look.”

Shiro hesitantly approached the edge and sat, tucking his legs underneath him. “You grew up out here?”

“Yep. I’ve lived here my whole life. What about you?”

“I was born overseas. But I’ve been interested in space exploration since I was young, so I was part of the Space School in Tokyo. I came here on exchange.”

“How old were you?”

“About fifteen.”

“Your family’s still in Japan?”

Shiro nodded. “My parents and my brother.”

“I didn’t know you have a brother.”

“He’s my younger brother. Actually, we’re twins, but I’m two minutes older.” Shiro’s voice had a hint of triumph. “We don’t talk much. He’s married with a couple of kids. I want to take Aki overseas so she can meet her cousins. We were supposed to go when she was first born, but…” He rubbed his arm.

Keith squinted into the sun. “Did they come over when you were injured?”

“My parents stayed in the hospital with me until I was released. I think they were here for about a month. Ryou flew over, but his wife stayed behind with the kids.” 

“Why don’t your folks come here again?”

“I think they want me to come home. To be honest, I was kind of reluctant to see them when my marriage was falling apart. I went against their wishes when I married Adam.”

“Are they prejudiced?” Keith said, surprised by such an old-fashioned view.

“Not for the reason you’re thinking. They didn’t want me to stay in America. I like it here. This is the most advanced Garrison base in the world. But they saw it as me putting myself before my family, so when the marriage broke up, I didn’t know how to face them.”

“If they’re your family, I’m sure they would be happy to see you. You should take her.”

“You’re right. It’s important for her to meet them, and I can handle it if it’s a little uncomfortable.” Shiro took a breath. “Have you ever been out of the country?”

“We didn’t travel much when I was younger because... well, it was hard to go anywhere.”

“I remember seeing a lot of press about you.” 

“They were pretty relentless for a while. People thought I’d grow a tail or something. I don’t know. It’s been a few years since somebody bothered me for an interview.”

“Do you miss the attention?” Shiro asked. 

“Hell no. Couldn’t even take a leak at school without someone trying to…” Keith gestured at his crotch. “You’ve seen it. It’s pretty human.”

“Very.” Shiro smiled, but it faded after a breath. “Sounds like you were lonely.”

Keith shrugged. “A lot of people would talk to me because I was the alien kid, but I had friends. Hunk lived down the street and there were a couple kids at school who were okay. But they moved away and Hunk’s been out in space since college, so...I guess it has been kind of lonely since then.” 

“I bet you’ve dated.”

“I wouldn’t call it _dating_.” More like serial one-night stands. There were bars he couldn’t go into anymore. Keith cleared his throat. “There’s never been anyone who caught my interest.”

“What about now?”

Keith’s cheeks felt hot. He kicked his right heel against the cliff face. “I’ve never taken someone riding before.”

“Never?” 

Shiro’s fingers brushed his hand. Keith shook his head. 

“You said you paint landscapes,” Shiro said. “Have you ever painted this?”

“Nope.”

“Why not, if it’s your favorite place?”

“I wouldn’t do it justice.”

“You should do it anyway, if you love it.”

“Is that what you tell your students?” 

“I do my best to motivate them.”

Keith fought to keep the smile from his mouth. “I bet they’ve all got crushes on you.”

“Oh…” Shiro scratched his neck. “They think of me like an older brother, maybe.”

“That might be what they tell you, but they’re thinking about you naked.”

“So you would’ve had a crush on me?”

“Who knows,” Keith said. He pitched a rock into the valley below. “Maybe I joined the Garrison in another reality.”

“If you can fly a spacecraft as well as you can maneuver that bike, you’d be a heck of a pilot.” 

“I think I’m a little past your recruiting age, Commander.” 

Shiro leaned closer. “I’d still be happy to teach you.” 

He caught Keith’s mouth. There was no one to see them if they wanted to mess around, but the kiss didn’t have the usual heat behind it. Shiro kissed him tenderly, then looked back out over the desert. 

“You can really breathe out here. But I forgot how much riding takes it out of you. We should’ve brought something to eat.”

“Oh, the food.” Keith retrieved it from the bike and spread it out on his jacket—a couple sandwiches, soda, and a stack of napkins. “I didn’t know what you’d want, so there’s turkey and roast beef.”

“Turkey, please. This is the second time in a week you’ve cooked. You’re spoiling me.”

“Don’t get too excited. It’s just a sandwich.”

“I eat cereal for dinner when I’m alone.”

“It’s easier,” Keith said. “Not much fun cooking for yourself.”

They ate and spent another half hour talking, then sped back to the city as the heat built. They were both sweating when they took off their helmets.

“That was fun,” Shiro said. His hair was plastered to his forehead. “I’m exhausted.”

“My dad’s got a hammock out back if you want to relax.”

“Think we’ll both fit?” 

Keith plucked at his shirt where it stuck to his stomach. “I’m a mess.”

“So am I.”

Keith was on the verge of suggesting a shower, only the chances they’d get through one without Kosmo interrupting were slim. He loved water. Arizona sunshine, on the other hand, he was less fond of. So when Shiro took off his shirt and extended a hand, stepping closer to the back door, Keith took it.

* * *

Their afternoon was cut short when the appliance store called to let Keith know the installers were on their way. He and Shiro said their goodbyes until Monday and parted ways in front of his parents’ home. 

Half a year without a functioning washing machine had given Keith a new appreciation for the convenience of having one in the house. Without anything better to do that evening, he pulled down the curtains and washed them, followed by a load of throw rugs. It inspired him to clean the entire house, and by the time the sun set, he’d mopped the floors and wiped a quarter-inch of dust from the ceiling fan blades. 

The impulse continued into Sunday. He spent the morning painting, then weeded around the foundation and watered his only plant. When the house was fragrant with bleach that was erasing years from his sad towels, he got a call from Shiro.

“Hey,” he said, anticipating an evening on Shiro’s back porch. “Did your plans change?”

“I wish. I hate to ask this, but is there any way you could come here and sit with Aki while she eats her dinner? I have to run to the base for about thirty minutes. I could take her with me, but I just put her in her high chair. I can’t get my regular sitter on the line and I really don’t want to call Adam.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I was just doing laundry. I can leave here in two minutes.”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

It was a warm afternoon but he took the car to be discreet. Shiro probably hadn’t thought twice about asking him. Keith had offered to help him with Aki before, after all, and they were in a relationship. But he felt uneasy about being alone with a student in her house. That was the sort of thing that got twisted out of context. 

Shiro was waiting at the front door with his keys. 

“Thank you for coming. She’s in the kitchen.” Shiro quickly led him through the house. Aki was in her high chair next to the table and brightened when she saw Keith.

“Aki, Daddy has to run to work for just a little bit, but Mr. Kogane is going to sit with you. Keith, when she’s done eating, she can watch a movie until I get back. Anything in the queue is fine. Please help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge.”

He kissed the corner of Keith’s lips and left, shouting something to Aki that she replied to, and left Keith frozen in place. Aki stared at him from the kitchen table with fascination, lazily waving her fork. The best thing to do was to act as though nothing had happened. If he was nervous or brought any attention to what she’d just seen, she would latch onto it. 

“What are you eating for dinner?” he said and sat down across from her, folding his hands.

She held up what looked like chicken.

“Looks good. As soon as you’re done, we can watch a movie, okay?”

She shook her head and put the fork into her mouth.

“You don’t want to watch a movie?”

She shook her head again and pointed to the coffee table. It was about the same height as the tables in the classroom. 

“Maybe...you would rather draw instead?”

A pleased look spread across her face. There was chicken in her teeth when she grinned and Keith laughed.

“You look like your dad when you make a face like that,” he said. “Okay, you finish eating, and we’ll make an art project. Sound good?”

“Okay.” 

Keith was optimistic that it wasn’t her usual grunting. Maybe they were making progress. 

Then Aki stabbed a piece of chicken and said, “Daddy kiss Mr. Kogane.”

He ought to be glad she’d spoken a sentence, and he was, but it wasn’t one he was in any hurry to hear again. He didn’t dare acknowledge or dismiss it, but he’d have to speak with Shiro as soon as he came home.

“Did you do anything fun this weekend?” he asked, trying to redirect the conversation, but Aki reverted to the nonverbal responses she gave at school and stuffed another forkful of chicken into her mouth.

Once she’d finished eating, he cleaned her hands and they moved to the floor to draw, extracting stubby crayons from the drawers beneath the coffee table. Keith drew landscapes. Aki scribbled her version of animals in the foreground. 

Shiro had been gone an hour when Keith checked his phone, but there were no messages. The sun was beginning to set and it was nearing seven. 

_Everything okay?_ he wrote.

Aki noticed him looking outside. “Daddy coming?” 

The phone vibrated with Shiro’s reply. _Sorry. There’s a hold up. I’ll be home soon._

“He’ll be back in a little bit,” Keith said. “Maybe we should get ready for bed.”

“No bed.”

“We’ll draw for five more minutes, and if daddy isn’t home by then, we’ll go find your PJs. We both have school in the morning.”

She grunted, and she grunted again five minutes later when they went upstairs, but she was happy when he promised her they could continue to draw for a while if she brushed her teeth. 

Around seven-thirty, Shiro came home in a flurry, rushing in through the garage door. They both looked up at him from the coffee table.

“We were about to go to bed,” Keith said. “But Aki wanted to wait for you.”

Shiro set down his things and sunk onto the floor beside them. “I’m sorry that took so long. Was she okay?”

“She was fine. We’ve been coloring since dinner.”

Shiro put a hand on the back of Keith’s neck and smiled down at the picture they were working on. The way he moved his fingers was gentle. Keith doubted the gesture meant anything to Aki, but she was clearly familiar with kissing. She would’ve seen it in any Disney movie and probably between her own parents. They must have been affectionate once. 

“Can I talk to you real quick?” Keith whispered and Shiro looked at him brightly. 

“I was going to run up and change. Why don’t you come with me. Aki, will you be okay for a minute?”

“Yes.”

Keith followed him up to the bedroom. The second the door was closed, Shiro had his hands on him. 

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Aki saw you kiss me. She said something about it.”

Shiro pulled back to look at him. “I did kiss you, didn’t I. I’ll be more careful.”

“I can’t have her talking about that at school.”

“I understand. I won’t do it again.” Shiro mouthed at his throat. “God, you smell good.”

Keith wormed out of his arms even though his body was responding to the fact that Shiro was untucking his shirt. “I should get going now that you’re back. I don’t feel right being here with her home.” 

“You’re already here. Let me make you dinner,” Shiro whispered. “I’ll put her to bed in a few minutes and you’ll have my undivided attention.”

“Fine, but you’ve gotta stop touching me until she’s in bed.”

Shiro pulled his hands back and saluted. They went downstairs separately. Keith sat across the table from him while he ate a plate of leftover rice and stew, and Aki watched the last few minutes of a movie. As soon as the credits rolled, Shiro switched it off.

“It’s time for someone to go to bed.” He scooped her up. “Say goodnight to Keith.”

She waved instead. Keith waved back. 

He finished eating and gathered the crayons and paper inside the drawer, using his sleeve to scrub the table. It probably wouldn’t be the end of the world if she said something tomorrow. Even if the school found out, he could explain. It’s not like he’d accepted money to watch her. 

“You didn’t have to clean up,” Shiro said, coming back down.

“Habit,” Keith said. “Everything go okay at work?”

Shiro shook his head. “There are mechanical problems with one of the missions that’s about to leave. We’re trying to coordinate repairs and no one will agree to anything.”

Keith wondered if he’d been allowed to say any of that. “Sorry.”

Shiro pulled Keith against him. “It’s unlikely she’ll get up again, but let’s use my room. The door locks.”

“I really should go.”

“One hour. Please let me hold you.”

“Takashi...”

“Please.”

Upstairs, Keith was nervous as he undressed, thinking of Aki across the hall. “Just hands tonight,” he said. They lay down on their sides facing one another and Shiro whispered his name. Keith touched him hesitantly. His eyes continued to dart toward the door, but eventually he closed them and forgot they weren’t alone. 

Shiro’s mouth was on Keith’s when he came. Keith’s breath came out ragged.

“Thank you,” Shiro said against his hair. “I needed that.”

He got out of bed for a wet cloth. Keith lay still while Shiro cleaned him. 

“What did you used to do when you’d be away for a year?” he asked, touching Shiro’s hair.

“I was usually so busy or tired, I didn’t think about sex much.”

“What’s it like out there?”

“Immense. The darkest thing you’ve ever seen spreading forever in every direction. It’s beautiful.” 

Shiro trailed his Altean hand down Keith’s chest, then took the cloth into the bathroom. The water ran and switched off. He returned to bed naked and reached for Keith. 

Keith let Shiro hold him for a few more minutes, but once his eyes began to feel heavy, he reluctantly sat up and searched on the floor for his clothes. 

“Stay,” Shiro said as Keith was pulling on his jeans. “You can leave before she gets up.”

“What if she gets up early?”

“She won’t remember anything tomorrow.”

Keith found his shirt and took Shiro’s face in his hands. “See you in the morning. I’ll lock the front door.” 

“Bye,” Shiro said, sounding somehow small despite his size, and while the guilt nagged at him every minute of the fifteen it took to reach his own house, Keith didn’t turn the car around. 

* * *

It was Adam and not Shiro who picked up Aki the following afternoon. Keith was surprised when he walked in. Shiro hadn’t said anything about a schedule change and usually messaged if something came up. It must’ve been a surprise to Aki too, because she squealed when she saw him and ran for his legs.

“Takashi has to work late,” Adam told Keith, then turned his smile on his daughter. “I got out early, so I called Daddy and asked if I could have you for another night. Should we get ice cream again?”

Aki nodded enthusiastically. Keith gathered her things and handed them to him.

“Thanks,” Adam said. “How have you been?”

“I can’t complain,” Keith said. “How was New Altea?”

Adam gave him a funny look. They’d never exchanged more than pleasantries in the past. “Incredible. I’ve never flown that distance before. It was quite an honor to be assigned to the mission.”

“I bet. Congratulations. Bye, Aki. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Keef!”

“Aki!” Adam scolded. “You don’t call Mr. Kogane by his first name.”

“Daddy says Keef.”

“Daddy is an adult.” Adam cast Keith an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I’ll talk with her.”

“It’s no problem. Enjoy your ice cream.”

As they walked away, Aki continued to chatter and Adam laughed. “You want Daddy to come with us? We can try calling him, but I don’t think he’ll say yes. Maybe we can bring him something home. What kind do you think he’d like?”

A bad feeling dropped like a stone in Keith’s stomach. He ducked back inside the classroom, not quite able to put a finger on it, but settled on jealousy. The things Shiro said to him, what they did together, he’d done those things before. He’d built a life with someone else and was still stepping over pieces. 

He didn’t message. The uneasy feeling persisted as Keith disinfected tables and put chairs back in order, haunted him down the hallway to his car. He tried to distract himself when he got home, taking out his frustration on the bathroom tile until his arms burned, and finally took to canvas, washing it in the deep colors of the sunrise.

When Shiro finally called, it was a few minutes past ten. Keith was afraid to pick up. He let it ring five times. 

“You probably know this already,” Shiro said instead of hello, “but I got stuck at work.” There was something slightly off in his voice, as though he was trying too hard to be cheerful.

“Yeah, Adam mentioned it.”

“Are you in bed?” Shiro asked.

“Not yet. Why, you want me to come over?”

“Are you hungry? I know it’s late, but there’s something I really need to talk to you about and I don’t want to do it over the phone.”

The brush jittered across the canvas, leaving a red scar. It was a few seconds before Keith found his voice. “Sure. Usual place? I think they’re open ‘til midnight.”

“I can be there in ten minutes. Does that work for you?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you okay?” Shiro said. 

“I’m fine,” Keith said. “See you in a few.”

A sour feeling ate at his gut the ride to the restaurant. It was never a good sign when somebody said they needed to talk. Keith had heard that one before. This was why he didn’t sleep with people more than a few times. He’d entered into this thing with Shiro understanding the terms. Shiro had been licking the wounds from his divorce, and Keith was convenient. But he hadn’t expected to like him so much — as a person. A lover. He liked the way he felt about himself when they were together. And he’d started to think that maybe Riley was right, that Shiro cared about him, that his fingerprints in a door lock meant something. 

There was no avoiding the conversation. And tomorrow, when Shiro dropped his daughter off at school, Keith would pretend he didn’t know what Shiro looked like naked, the face he made when he was close to coming.

He was waiting in the booth at the back of the restaurant, scrolling through his phone, and stood as Keith approached the table. Shiro bent to kiss his cheek. That surprised Keith given the circumstances, but Shiro had always been a gentleman. Keith slid uneasily into the booth across from him, heart in his throat, and didn’t take off his jacket. 

“Just water,” he said to the server and laced his hands together, resting them on the edge of the table. “What, uh...what did you want to talk about?”

“Adam called me this afternoon. We talked for a while.”

There it was. Keith couldn’t compete with someone Shiro had spent a good portion of his life with, someone he shared a child with. He had to be gracious. What happened here tonight would affect his work. He would have to continue teaching Shiro’s daughter, and meeting with Shiro and Adam about her progress. Seeing him every day. Acting as though he hadn’t gotten his heart broken in a bar in April. 

Keith suddenly felt frigid. He cleared his throat and did his best to sound unaffected even though his chin quivered. 

“So, are you two, uh...are you and Adam...”

“Do you think I called you here to break up with you?”

“Isn’t that what this is?”

Shiro’s eyes went wide. He reached for Keith’s hand. 

“I promise you, Adam and I are not getting back together. That’s not why I—that explains the look on your face when you got here. Keith, breaking up with you is the last thing I want to do. Okay?” 

Keith nodded. Shiro squeezed his fingers and let go. 

“Aki apparently told Adam that I’ve been seeing someone. He’s furious I didn’t introduce you before I started to include you in her life. He’s met you, so it didn’t occur to me, but he’s right. When we separated, we agreed that if either of us started dating again and it got to the point where we wanted Aki to meet them, we would talk to each other first. I would want to know if he’s bringing someone around her.”

“Of course. He’s her father. What did you tell him?”

“I told him who you are.” Shiro ran a hand through his hair. “I wanted to reassure him that I wasn’t bringing strangers around her, but I realize I’ve put you in an awkward position. That’s why I thought we’d better talk tonight.” 

“Will he tell the school?”

“I don’t think he’d say anything. He’s not petty.”

“He took you off of the pick-up list.”

“We both did things we shouldn’t have. I genuinely don’t think he’d try to hurt you, but this isn’t how I wanted him to find out. I wanted to tell him when you and I were both ready. I understand if you’re upset with me.”

“I would have done the same thing in your position.” Keith crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m up for review soon. This isn’t grounds for firing, exactly, but it doesn’t make me look good. I was counting on the raise.”

“If the school says anything, I will explain fully.”

“I’m the one who accepted your dinner invitation. I’m just as much at fault.”

“What do you want to do?” Shiro said. 

“We’d better dial things back for a while. I probably shouldn’t come to your house even when she’s not there. School lets out in a month and a half. Unless she’s enrolled in the summer program?”

Shiro looked guilty. “Adam’s gone most of the summer. I have the paperwork to enroll her but I haven’t filled it out yet. I can find another one.”

“Absolutely not. Our program’s the best in the area.”

“She’s excited about it.”

“So September,” Keith said. “Is that... are you okay with that?”

“It’s only a few months. When I start flying again, I’ll be gone longer than that.”

The server brought Keith’s water. He muttered his thanks and wiped his eyes with the inside of his sleeve. “Maybe it is the right time to talk about this. You’re not planning to stay on Earth forever.”

“I hope to fly again someday, yes.”

“What happens then? You’re gone for one, two years at a time?”

“It depends on what I’m assigned.”

“I assume Aki will go with one of you.”

“Probably.” Shiro rubbed his neck. “I guess it would be pretty selfish to ask you to wait for me.”

“Would you even want me to?”

“Would I _want_ you... Keith, I would take you with me if I could. I know we started off casually. That’s what we both needed then, but I’ve come to care about you. I think about you all the time. That’s something I didn’t think was possible for me a few months ago.”

“Shiro…”

“Takashi.”

“Takashi,” Keith repeated. “I–”

“I’m falling in love with you. I’m _in_ love with you.” Shiro tried to take his hand. “I’m pouring my heart out here. Please say something.”

Keith couldn’t speak right away. He startled himself by crying. “I came here expecting to walk out alone.”

“I’m so sorry. Please don’t cry.”

“Come to my place.” Keith swallowed the thick feeling in his throat. “I’d really like it if you come to my place.”

Shiro gripped his hand and signaled for the check. He followed Keith home and had his hands under his clothes before they were inside the front door.

“I want to make love to you. Can I?”

“Shower,” Keith panted and dragged him into the bathroom. They barely fit, and his bed was only a double. Shiro covered him with his body. 

“What do you want, baby? I’ll do anything you want.”

Keith locked his arms around Shiro’s neck. “Like this,” he said. It wasn’t like the other times they’d been together. He clutched Shiro and kissed him the entire time. 

After, they lay on the bed with the curtains thrown open. A warm breeze rolled in with the scent of a distant bonfire. Shiro caressed Keith’s face. 

“Where did you get this scar?”

“Angry parent. Happened my first year teaching. Guy had a ring.”

Shiro put his lips to it. “It’s quiet here.”

“That’s why I like it.”

“I like it too.” Shiro kissed his shoulder. “Was I too rough?”

“It was good.” Keith ran his fingertips through the short hair at the back of Shiro’s neck. “Does Adam have her overnight?”

“Yes.”

“Then fuck me again.”

Shiro rolled Keith onto his back and hiked up his legs. “I like when you’re direct,” he said, sliding back inside. 

“I’m making the most of the time,” Keith said. Shiro hit his good spot and Keith threw his head back. “We won’t be able to do this much once he leaves again.”

“I’ll hire a sitter and come here as often as I can.”

“That’ll get expensive.”

“Keith, as long as there’s a possibility for me to be with you, I will never give up on this.”

Keith was stunned. No one had ever made a declaration like that to him. He wasn’t sure if he believed in the kind of love that lasted a lifetime, but he did believe that Shiro meant what he’d said. That he loved Keith, that he would stay with him no matter what. Keith wanted that to be true. He used his strength to flip them over and rode on top of Shiro, lacing their hands together on his thighs. 

“Remind me to make you a profile for the lock before you go.”


	3. three

The school year ended. Keith passed his review and Adam left Earth again.

With him off-planet, Shiro had Aki all of the time. To keep busy, Keith focused on preparations for the themed summer camps that would run through August. He resumed his evenings with the cat, who sometimes tapped a paw inside the door if he painted with the sliders open, but never came into the house. He missed the times when he’d first moved out and Kosmo had transported himself into Keith’s bed every night. He thought of calling his parents once or twice and telling the dog to come over, but it had been hard enough to break that habit the first time.

It became a game of stolen hours after work when Shiro was able to get a sitter, and always at Keith’s—far from anyone who knew them or would recognize Shiro’s car outside his house. On the nights they couldn’t see each other, Shiro called at bedtime and they would speak for a few minutes even if there was nothing new to say since yesterday. And while the first scattered times were quick fumbles on Keith’s yardsale couch and Shiro leaving with wet hair, mouthing apologies into his neck ( _I love you, I’ll see you in the morning_ ), they began to morph into something softer.

One evening in late June, Shiro turned up late unannounced. He was in uniform, bags under his eyes, and looked seconds from a meltdown. Keith said nothing. He opened the door wide enough to let him inside and put his arms around him.

“Where’s Aki?”

“Asleep in the car. I just...”

“Bring her in. Put her in my room. I’ll wait in the kitchen.”

Keith made coffee. The front door opened and closed, opened and closed. Shiro’s voice was soft from the bedroom. He came into the kitchen a few minutes later and laid his head on Keith’s shoulder.

“Have you eaten?” Keith asked.

Shiro shook his head.

“Sit down. Coffee’ll be ready in a minute. Is a sandwich okay?”

“Thank you.”

Shiro sat and Keith got out the bread. “Did something happen at work?”

“I’m so stressed I can’t see straight. My medical tests have shown no further muscle deterioration since I began this new treatment, but the Garrison is still insisting on a battery of tests every few months, and my doctors have to sign off on my health status before I can do a fucking thing. And on top of that, Adam’s mother keeps calling me.”

“What does she want?”

“His parents want to take Aki for a weekend this fall. They live about two hours south of here. But she hasn’t spoken to me since the divorce and now she’s calling like we’re old friends.”

“Are you okay with Aki seeing them?”

“I want her to spend time with her family. I just didn’t need the reminder I’ve lost mine.” Shiro seemed to realize where he was and wilted, dropping his face into his hands. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about this to you.”

“Yes, you should.” Keith set the sandwich and coffee in front of him. “Eat.”

He dragged a chair next to Shiro’s and sat down.

“I’m sorry for coming without calling you,” Shiro said.

“Come here whenever you need to. You don’t have to ask first.”

“I don’t know why this hit me so hard. I’d just gotten her to bed when I got the phone call, and the next thing I knew I was putting her in the car.”

“Call me next time. You shouldn’t drive like this.”

“All I could think was I wanted to see you.”

Keith slowly rubbed Shiro’s back. “Why don’t you two stay here tonight? I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Okay. I’ll think of something to tell her in the morning.”

“Do you think she’ll wake up if I grab you a change of clothes?”

“She was sleeping pretty soundly.”

Keith pressed a long kiss to his forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

Aki was a tiny lump in the center of the bed. Shiro had laid her on top of the comforter and spread a blanket over her legs. She was holding a stuffed hippo. Keith found a shirt Shiro had left behind and slipped back into the hall.

“I wondered where I’d left that,” Shiro said. He’d eaten half of the sandwich and was drinking coffee. The redness around his eyes had diminished.

“You left it here a while ago. I keep forgetting to bring it to you.”

Shiro looked at him soppily and took another bite. “This is really good.”

“It’s just turkey and cheese. You want to finish in the living room? There might be something on TV.”

“You were probably in the middle of things.”

“I wasn’t doing much.”

“You have paint in your hair.”

Keith put a hand to his head. “Oh. I was messing around after work.”

“Show me?”

“It’s not finished.”

“I want to see what you make.”

The canvas faced the corner of the living room. Keith held his breath and turned it around. To anyone else, it would’ve been insignificant, the sun rising over any piece of desert, but Shiro smiled when he recognized the cliff.

“You painted it,” he said.

“Thought I’d give your advice a try.”

“When it’s finished, would you let me buy it from you?”

Keith rubbed his neck. “If you like it that much, I’ll give it to you for Christmas or something.”

“I love it.” Shiro kissed his cheek. “You said you’d let me model for you sometime.”

“I was trying to make you blush,” Keith said. “You’d really do it?”

“Only if you’ll paint me naked.”

“If your daughter weren’t here, I’d take your clothes off myself.”

“I’ll tell her it’s for art,” Shiro whispered. “Will you be naked too?”

“Not while I’m working.”

Keith turned the canvas toward the wall again. Shiro embraced him from behind.

“You can touch me all you want after you eat,” Keith said. “You look thin.”

“It’s the heat. I always lose weight in the summer.”

“But you’re healthy otherwise? You’d tell me if there was a problem?”

Shiro nodded against his shoulder. “I will never keep things from you.”

He stripped down to his briefs and changed into the orange t-shirt Keith had given him. They found a movie half over, classic sci-fi about visitors from another planet trying to communicate with humans. They’d gotten it all wrong. Keith watched it, amused, with an arm around Shiro’s shoulders while he finished eating.

“Better?” Keith asked once Shiro set down the plate. The tension was gone from his face. He cleaned his hands and settled into Keith’s side.

“I could fall asleep like this.”

“So sleep.”

“It’s a waste when we finally have time together.” Shiro yawned. “If his parents do take her, would you go somewhere with me for a few days this fall?”

“Where would you want to go?”

“I don’t care. Is there somewhere you want to see?”

“Maybe the ocean,” Keith said. “I haven’t been to California since high school. Or we could head up to the mountains to see the leaves change.”

“I like both of those ideas. I’ll ask about time off.”

“When’s Adam back on Earth?”

“End of September. Why?”

“I’d like to talk to him,” Keith said. “Do you think he’d agree to all of us sitting down?”

“I know he’d appreciate that. We can get coffee when he’s back.” Shiro ran his fingers down the arm Keith had put around him. “Are you going to bed soon?”

“In a while. I was going to sit outside for a bit.”

“It’s a nice night. I’ll sit out with you.”

They each took a chair outside, but Shiro sat down on the one he’d carried and patted his lap. Keith indulged him, sitting across his thighs and twisting sideways to look out across the desert.

“You really can see the stars.” Shiro propped his chin on Keith’s shoulder. “Are you still coming to the exhibit opening this weekend?”

“For the _Calypso_? Yeah, I’m planning to go with my folks. Will we see you there?”

“I hope so,” Shiro said. “We’ll try to go in the morning but it will depend on her.”

For a long time they didn’t say anything. Keith felt drowsy in the hot night air, content to let Shiro hold him. The cat appeared from the side of the house and meowed as it walked past their legs.

“Yours?” Shiro said.

“I feed it so it sticks around.”

The arms around him tightened and Shiro whispered into his ear, “Maybe it stays because it likes you.”

Darkness hid the blush that crept up Keith’s neck. “It’s getting pretty late. Shouldn’t you go to bed?”

“I’m sleeping where you’re sleeping.”

“We won’t both fit on the couch.”

“We can put the cushions on the floor.”

“If your back hurts in the morning, don’t blame me.”

But neither of them complained, even though Keith could feel the tile floor through the thin cushions and knew it must be worse for Shiro because of his size. Shiro gathered Keith to his chest.

“I’m not even upset anymore.”

Keith put his lips to Shiro’s collarbone. “Good.” Shiro kissed his hair. His hands began to move down the planes of Keith’s back and he worked a knee between his thighs.

“What if she gets up?” Keith whispered even as he began to rub against him, fingers climbing Shiro’s chest.

“She won’t get up.” Shiro slid a hand inside Keith’s shorts.

Keith suppressed a groan. “We should’ve done it outside. I don’t have neighbors.”

“It’ll be practice for when we live together.”

“We’re living together?”

“I hope to eventually. I’d like to come home to you every day.”

A swath of questions barged into Keith’s head. Did Shiro expect him to move? He wasn’t going to sell this place. Or were they all going to crowd in here with one bedroom? Shiro rolled them over so Keith lay on his back and he tried to put the future out of his mind.

He had a hand in Shiro’s hair, the other a fist against his mouth to stifle his voice, when they heard coughing from the bedroom. Panicked, Keith threw Shiro’s jacket over his lap. Shiro lay still, his head on Keith’s thigh, waiting to see if Aki would go back to sleep or if they were about to be ambushed. At least it was dark and she’d have no reference for the house.

When there wasn’t any further sound after a minute, Keith uncovered his face, and they dissolved into nervous laughter like kids who’d found their parents’ porn stash.

“I thought she was going to come out here,” he hissed.

“It’s rare she gets up in the night.” Shiro moved the jacket aside and guided Keith back inside his mouth.

“Maybe we should go to sleep.”

“We haven’t done this in two weeks.”

“You want to suck my dick that much, I’m not going to stop you.” Keith returned his hands to Shiro’s hair and relaxed his neck. “I love your mouth.”

“Just my mouth?”

Keith smiled. “All of you.”

Shiro kept his movements slow and controlled. Every time Keith tried to thrust upwards, Shiro stilled him with a touch to his hip, and when he tightened his fingers in Shiro’s hair, Shiro turned his head to kiss the inside of his wrist until Keith relaxed his hands.

Urgency built within him gradually. At his peak, he made no sound. His body went rigid and the rush went through him, chasing out through his fingertips and toes. A fine layer of sweat covered his body and his fingers, still locked in Shiro’s hair, trembled. He reached for him, shaking like he’d been out in the cold, and pulled Shiro on top of him.

“I hate waking up without you,” he said.

He was glad for the dark, that he couldn’t see Shiro’s expression, glad for the hard floor and the way Shiro held him tighter. He didn’t say anything, mouth a crescent against Keith’s cheek.

Eventually, Shiro lay down next to him and Keith opened his eyes. Shiro was looking at him, and with the same softness, touched his cheek. “My alarm is set for five. Do you want me to wake you before I go?”

Keith nodded and yawned. They fell asleep touching.

At dawn, they shared coffee outside and watched the sun rise. Keith stayed out back while Shiro woke Aki and put her into the car. The engine roared good morning. Shiro jogged around the side of the house and planted a kiss on Keith’s mouth.

“Bye, baby. See you in a couple hours.”

The endearment should’ve bothered him, the fact that he was awake at five in the morning, that his back ached from a night on the floor, but Keith watched Shiro disappear around the side of the house and wished he could follow.

* * *

The long-awaited _Calypso_ exhibit opened that weekend. The Garrison had run an aggressive promotional campaign across town for the last month and turnout for opening day was expected to be high. They’d sold out of tickets a few hours after they went on sale.

Morning was expected to be busiest since there would be dedication speeches and a performance by the Garrison band. Keith’s dad had worked late the night before, so they decided to forego the ceremony and visit the exhibit in the afternoon. Krolia parked in the officers’ lot and they cut across the base in the heat. Keith was sweating before they reached the shade of the hanger’s shadow in the late-day sun.

The exhibit had been set up in the _Calypso_ ’s original hanger, which had been painted and remodeled into a museum. The Garrison had even added a small gift shop at the front of the building near the entrance. The _Calypso_ had been moved to the back of the hanger and wasn’t visible from the doors. To reach her, they would have to walk through a maze of flight suits and the pre-contact technology that had gotten humans to Jupiter.

Nearly every group milling around had at least one member in Garrison uniform. Krolia waved to several as they walked in. Keith glanced around the entrance but didn’t see Shiro anywhere. He and Aki had probably come much earlier. He pointed to the line for will-call.

“I’m surprised you wanted to see this,” Krolia said, tucking her sunglasses into her purse. “It’s not like you to take an interest in anything the Garrison does. If I’d known, I would have reserved tickets myself.”

“I knew you’d like it,” Keith said. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“This looks pretty popular,” said his dad. “How long ago did you reserve these?”

Keith rubbed his nose and didn’t answer. “Hi, I should have three tickets reserved for Kogane,” he said to the person behind the counter. She squinted at a computer screen. “They might also be under Shirogane.”

“I’ve found them. It looks like the commander picked up two of the tickets earlier?”

“That’s right. They were coming separately.”

“Please touch your devices to this.” She indicated a small terminal and waited until each of them had tapped their phones to it, then smiled brightly. “You’re all set. Enjoy the exhibit.”

“So that friend of yours got us the tickets,” his dad said as they went inside. “Please give him my thanks.”

“He may be here, so you can thank him yourself.”

It had been a few years since they’d gone out as a family. Keith had forgotten the way people tended to stare at his mother. It annoyed him, but she’d never seemed to mind it except when it had infringed on his privacy as a child. Humans had a preoccupation with whether or not he’d turn out purple.

Krolia stopped and chatted with people she knew as they moved through the hangar. His dad took his time reading every placard and sometimes read them out loud to Keith the way he had when he’d been small.

Beside a long display demonstrating how the crew had clumsily eaten and bathed on board the ship, they ran into Shiro. He was wearing the uniform Keith saw him in most mornings, seams crisp, hair slicked back. Aki, in a pink sundress, was holding his left hand.

“What a shame your husband couldn’t be here,” a middle-aged woman was saying to Shiro. Keith’s body moved before his brain caught up.

“I thought I spotted my favorite artist,” he said. Behind Shiro’s legs, Aki giggled.

“Keith!” Shiro said and looked relieved. “Excuse me,” he said to the woman he’d been talking to and made his way to Keith’s side.

“I didn’t think we’d see you here,” Keith said. “We’re so late.”

“I meant to text you. We did the ceremonies earlier but I had to run her home for a nap, so this is the first time we’re getting inside.”

“You already know my mom. This is my dad. Dad, this is Takashi—Commander Takashi Shirogane.”

“It’s an honor,” Shiro said and extended his right hand.

“Now that’s a fancy piece of technology,” his dad said, shaking it.

“Dear,” Krolia said flatly and Keith cringed.

Shiro only laughed at the remark. “It’s okay. It is a fancy piece of tech. I understand you’re a firefighter, sir.”

“Thirty-five years.”

“This is my daughter. Aki, these are Mr. Kogane’s parents.”

Aki stared with fascination up at Krolia with an open mouth.

“Aki, don’t be rude,” Shiro said. “You know we don’t stare at people. Say hello.”

Krolia smiled and knelt down to speak with her.

“I look different, don’t I.”

Aki nodded.

“I’m from a different planet. Where I grew up, there are lots of people who look like me. Do you like dogs?”

“Yes,” Aki said.

“We have a cosmic wolf at home. You should come and see him sometime.”

“I’m sure Aki would love to visit,” Shiro said, sounding relieved by the new direction of conversation. “Thank you for the invitation.”

Keith wondered if that was the end of their interaction or if Shiro would stay with them as they browsed the second half of the exhibits. It was common knowledge that Shiro and Krolia both worked on the base, so it wouldn’t seem strange for them to interact, and there was nothing wrong with touring a museum with a student. The school was sending groups next week.

“I’m sure you’ve got a bunch of people to talk to,” Keith said. “But...you want to walk around with us?”

“I’m here as a dad today,” Shiro said. “We’d love to walk around with you.”

Aki took a shining to Krolia and ended up coming out from behind Shiro’s legs to walk with her through the museum. She reached up her hand and let Krolia hold on to her.

“I can’t believe this,” Shiro whispered to Keith. “She usually doesn’t take to people. She doesn’t like Adam’s dad at all.”

“My mom’s been nagging me for grandkids for years. You might not get her back.”

There was an exhibit in a dark room—video footage of the _Calypso_ launch. Krolia held Aki up so she could see the screen. Keith and Shiro stood hip to hip in the back of the crowded space. While everyone’s eyes were fixed on the screen, Shiro took Keith’s hand. They touched for the indulgent four-minute length of the film. And when it ended, Shiro squeezed his hand and dropped it.

Across an hour, they worked their way to the back of the hangar, toward the ship. The _Calypso_ herself was oddly beautiful. Keith found himself drawn to the ship’s long lines. It was incredible to think that not long ago, this was the fastest piece of technology on Earth, that three humans had crowded into the cramped interior for years with no way on or off.

“Are you going to be an astro explorer like your father?” Krolia said to Aki.

“Like Papa,” Aki said.

Shiro smiled generously. “He’ll be proud to hear you say that.”

“Go inside?” Aki said, pointing to it.

“Not today,” Shiro said. “It wouldn’t be good for the ship if all of these people climbed through it.”

She looked disappointed, thrusting her arms down at her sides and sticking out her bottom lip.

Keith’s dad help up his camera. “What if I take a picture of you in front of it?”

“Picture,” Aki agreed.

“Commander?” Krolia glanced to him.

“By all means,” Shiro said. “I can’t believe how much she’s talking today.”

Keith shook his head. “She’s talked to my mother more in thirty minutes than she has to me all year.”

“Don’t take it personally.”

“It’s hard not to.”

“She likes you,” Shiro whispered. “Trust me.”

Aki smiled for the picture with all of her teeth. “I’ll send it to Keith and he can give it to you,” his dad said. “Should I take one of you two as well?”

“We’re good,” Keith said, but Shiro put a hand on his shoulder.

“Smile.”

It wasn’t hard to. His dad sent him both pictures. Shiro set the one of Aki as his wallpaper.

The final stretch of the exhibit documented achievements in science and technology that had come about as a result of the mission. On the wall was a small portrait of Shiro with a plaque that read, “The _Calypso_ mission was what inspired Commander Takashi Shirogane to join the Garrison.”

The picture must have been taken when Shiro had first enrolled. He had a head of dark hair and a severe expression.

Keith grinned. “Babe, did you see this?” he said, gesturing toward the display, and immediately realized his error when Shiro’s eyes lit up. They exchanged a look of guilt, but neither of his parents appeared to have overheard.

Shiro walked up beside him. “Now you know what I looked like in high school. I don’t know if I’ve seen pictures of you at this age. Will I get to see that if I come to your parents’ house for dinner?”

“My dad can keep you entertained for hours. He was real big on taking pictures whenever my mom was away. Now he takes pictures of fire engines.”

Beyond the photograph was recruitment information for the Garrison, and then a door leading to the gift shop. Keith licked his lips.

“Thanks for the tickets. I think my mom really appreciated this.”

“Of course,” Shiro said.

The next group had already pushed past to go through to the gift shop, but the corridor was bright and in view of his parents. As much as he wanted to sling an arm around him, Keith could only stand politely at Shiro’s side and wait for them to catch up.

Krolia bought Aki a stuffed replica of the _Calypso_ in the gift shop. Aki hugged it under her arm as she walked toward the exit holding Krolia’s hand. Keith’s dad fell into step with him.

“Reminds me of when you were little. I have so many pictures of you and your mama walking like that.”

“What was Keith like at that age, sir?” Shiro asked.

“He had a rebellious streak but he was a good kid. Drew all over every wall in the house.”

Shiro laughed and held the door for them. He shook hands with Keith’s dad in front of the hangar.

“Commander.”

“Shiro, please.”

“Shiro then. You let Keith know when the two of you want to come over, and I will cook up my finest steaks.”

“We’ll gladly take you up on that. I’m not sure my daughter is going to let your wife go home.”

Krolia was on her knees again, repeating her name and encouraging Aki to say it. She’d managed a version that sounded like “Koi-ya.”

Shiro turned to him. “Keith, it was great seeing you.”

“You too.”

They shook like friends and only for a moment.

“We’ll see you on Monday,” Shiro said. “I’m going to pop back inside and say goodbye to a few people. Aki, I need you to come with daddy now.”

“I go with Koi-ya.”

“That would be fun, but you need to come with me for now.” He said something else in Japanese and Aki reluctantly went to him. Shiro shook Krolia’s hand, smiled at Keith a final time, and went back inside.

There was a palpable tension during the walk from the paved area in front of the hangar to the car. Keith could practically feel his mother’s gaze searing the back of his neck. As soon as they were in the car with the air running, she adjusted the rear view mirror and made narrowed eye contact.

“You’re seeing him.”

“Not this again.”

“I just witnessed the two of you with my own eyes. And even if I hadn’t, I have excellent hearing.”

Keith let his head fall back against the seat. The fabric was hot from sitting in the sun. “Okay, yes. I’m seeing him. We’ve been seeing each other for months, but his daughter is still my student and his ex-husband found out. So until I’m not teaching her any longer and there’s no chance that I could get fired, we’re keeping things quiet.”

“Is it serious?”

“Yeah, mom. If it weren’t serious, we would have ended things.”

“Who would’ve ended things?” his dad asked, getting into the driver’s seat.

“Our son is seeing the commander.”

“Was that supposed to be a secret?”

“Huh?” said Keith.

“Well I sort of figured it out when I saw the two of you holding hands, but even if you hadn’t done that, the way he looks at you would have given it away. Reminds me of myself when I met your mother.” He put the truck into reverse. “Is anyone hungry? I think it’s prime rib night at your mom’s favorite place.”

“I’m hungry,” Keith admitted.

“Why don’t you call your boyfriend and have them meet us?”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“The commander and I are co-workers,” Krolia said. “There would be nothing untoward in our families having dinner together.”

It was tempting. “You wouldn’t mind?” Keith said. He’d already pulled out his phone and was tapping a finger against the dark screen.

“I’d like to talk to him some more,” his dad said.

Shiro picked up on the third ring and met them a block from the restaurant. Krolia carried Aki inside.

“Four adults and a high chair,” she said to the host, who greeted her by name. “Is the back corner open?”

Keith and Shiro sat on the side of the booth facing away from the restaurant. With the partition between tables, they weren’t visible to the other diners. Keith sat on the inside facing his dad. He never knew he could be so overjoyed to hold a sticky diner menu, for the weight of Shiro’s hand on his knee.

“So,” Krolia said plainly as she put a stylus in Aki’s hand and showed her how to draw on the high chair tray. “When did this start?”

Shiro looked at Keith with light panic. “When were conferences?”

“End of January.”

“Six months,” said his dad. “That’s about how long it was before I was thinking of proposing to your mother.”

Keith coughed into his beer.

“May I ask how you met, sir?” Shiro said.

“There was a fire in the hotel where the delegation was staying. It was restricted to the kitchens but we had to evacuate for safety reasons. It was my job to escort members of the delegation out of the building. She was...not happy about being ordered to leave. What about you two?”

“Keith wouldn’t let me into his classroom. In his defense, I didn’t have authorization to be there.”

His dad laughed. “You seem real fond of him. As a parent, that’s all I could wish for.”

“I am. Very fond of him. He came into my life at a good time.”

Keith smiled at the table.

“I hear you’re divorced?” his dad said.

“Yes, sir. It’ll be a year in November.”

“Have you and Keith talked about any long-term plans?” Krolia said.

“Mom,” Keith said. Shiro’s fingers tightened over his knee.

“I’ve mentioned living together,” he said. “We haven’t had a formal discussion about it.”

“You know, Keith has a _real_ nice piece of property,” his dad said.

“It’s beautiful.”

“You could build a larger house,” Krolia said.

“I have a great idea,” Keith said. “You two let us figure out our own relationship, and we’ll let you know when we’re ready to take the next step. Does anyone want to split the loaded fries?”

“Me,” Aki said.

“Does she eat fries?” Keith whispered.

“She likes the plain ones,” Shiro said.

“Okay. Fries for me and Aki.”

She smiled at him and resumed coloring.

“I haven’t been here in a while,” Shiro said. “What’s the burger you order?”

“You’re gonna eat a burger?” Keith said.

“It’s got to be good if you always order it.”

He didn’t miss his parents’ smug expressions across the booth.

A server came to take their order. The food came out too quickly. Within an hour, they were finished eating and Shiro was wiping ketchup from Aki’s face. Despite his protests, Keith’s parents insisted on paying. Shiro thanked them profusely, both at the table and again outside where they said goodbye for the second time that day.

“Any time you need someone to watch her, call us,” Krolia said.

His dad nodded. “Believe me, I know how hard it is to bring up a child largely on your own. There’s no shame in taking a break from it. Let Keith know when you want to come by for dinner.”

“Thank you, sir. I will.” Shiro nodded toward Krolia. “Aki, say goodbye.”

She and Krolia had a tearful parting on the sidewalk. Shiro picked her up and let her cry against his shoulder. He looked at Keith.

“I’ll call you later.”

After they walked away, his dad slapped him between the shoulder blades.

“Now that’s a nice boy.”

* * *

Shiro called that night before he went to bed. “I almost asked if I could take you home,” he admitted. “If I can get a sitter for Thursday, are you free?”

“Thursday’s fine. I’ll pick up something to cook after work.”

There was relief in the way Shiro exhaled. “I’m really happy that I got to meet your dad. Aki wouldn’t stop talking about your mother.”

“I can’t believe they got along so well. A lot of kids are scared of her. Hunk didn’t like coming over.”

“I was worried your family might not want you to get involved with someone with a child. I know blending families can be messy. I’ve been worried about the way people might treat her, but I felt accepted by them.”

“My parents really like you.”

“That’s good. I guess you’ll have to fly overseas with me sometime and meet mine.”

In spite of the throwaway quality in Shiro’s tone, Keith felt the weight, the significance of that statement.

“We could go at the holidays,” he said. “Do you get time off?”

He seemed to have caught Shiro off guard. He didn’t answer for a few seconds.

“I—I should have a few days.” There was rustling as Shiro settled in bed. “I should warn you, they’re not as welcoming as your parents.”

“Do they know about me?”

“My brother does. We talked a few weeks ago. I haven’t called my parents lately.” Shiro sighed. “I miss holding you. Do you know how hard it is not to kiss you goodbye every morning?”

Keith frowned into the dark. “I can’t kiss you either.”

“I wasn’t trying to imply this is harder on me. I was just telling my boyfriend I miss him.”

“Would it be easier if we didn’t see each other outside of school until the month is out?”

“I don’t want that unless you do.”

“Course I don’t want that.” Keith sighed. “Turn on your camera.”

“There’s hardly any light.”

“Just do it.” Keith turned his own on as well and smiled at the grainy impression of Shiro on the other side.

“Now what?”

“Close your eyes and go the hell to sleep.”

Shiro laughed. “What about the phone?”

“I’ll hang up in a while. I’m not tired yet.”

“Okay,” Shiro said through a yawn.

They were still connected at two in the morning when the cat’s howling startled Keith awake. He could barely make out the image of Shiro asleep and put his lips to the screen without thinking.

* * *

Shiro surprised him by turning up early on Thursday. Keith had just gotten home from the grocery store when he heard the front door open and Shiro call his name.

“In the kitchen,” Keith said and heard Shiro’s heavy footsteps through the living room. “I hope chicken’s okay.”

“I brought wine.” Shiro set the bottle on the counter and caught Keith around the waist.

“You’re in a good mood,” Keith said.

“ _I’ve_ been offered a flight next summer.”

Keith blinked. “I thought you weren’t going back out for at least a year.”

“The upcoming Galra visit has sparked a lot of attention. We’re going to be sending our own delegation and they’ve asked me to pilot it.”

“To Daibazaal?”

“Yes. It’s a diplomatic mission, so I’ll only be gone for a couple weeks, but I’ll get to fly the _Atlas_ again.”

“That’s...” Keith searched for a word and came up empty. “Wow. What about Aki? Will Adam be on Earth then?”

“Actually, I have permission to take her with me if I can talk Adam into it.”

Keith nodded. It must be an honor to be asked to fly the delegation. Of course Shiro was excited. Keith should be happy for him, but his mouth remained flat.

“What will she do when you’re working?”

“I haven’t figured out the details yet.” Shiro kissed him. “Are you working next summer?”

“Probably. If you’re not able to take her, I can help watch her when you’re away, if that’s what you’re asking. I’m sure my parents would help too.”

“Actually...I wanted to know if there was any way I could talk you into coming with us.”

“I kinda like the summer paycheck,” Keith said, brushing off the joke.

Shiro looked him in the eye. “I’m serious. Would you come if it weren’t for the money?”

Keith knew something about Garrison missions. Once his mother had reached a high-enough rank, she’d wanted to bring them along a couple times, but it had never worked out with his dad’s job or Keith’s school schedule. Only certain crew members were allowed to invite visitors on board, and those were restricted to family.

Keith couldn’t find his voice. Shiro reddened and added, “You’re half Galran. Don’t you want to see where your mother is from?”

“I thought...” Keith swallowed. “Well, I thought I remembered my mom saying only the crew’s immediate family is permitted on board.”

Shiro’s smile never wavered. “It was just an idea.” He released his hold on Keith and turned to the counter. “I’m hungry. Put me to work.”

Keith stared at his back, not sure what he should do. “I was gonna pan fry the chicken and serve it on a salad.”

“I think I can handle that. You go relax.”

“Do you want some wine?”

“I’ll take a glass. Thanks.”

Keith broke the seal and poured two servings. The wine was deep red. Shiro drank half and pushed his glass toward the back of the counter.

“That’s not bad.”

“It’s strong,” Keith said. The wine stung his throat and he coughed to clear it. “We need a frying pan and some oil.”

Shiro was staring at the package of chicken. At Keith’s words, he pushed up his sleeves and opened the nearest cabinet.

It was while Shiro was bent over, too large for the galley kitchen and searching for a frying pan, that Keith felt something inside of him slide into place. Like an anchor dropping. Shiro was supposed to be in Keith’s kitchen. He didn’t want to make dinner with anyone else.

He watched a little dazedly as Shiro sliced open the package of chicken and laid the pieces in the hot oil. They began to sizzle. Keith put an arm around Shiro’s waist and kissed the back of his neck.

“You know...the school doesn’t charge tuition for family members.”

Shiro stilled, then slowly looked over his shoulder.

“I didn’t know that,” he said. “Does that apply to step children as well?”

“Yup. Nice, huh?”

“It’s very generous.”

Keith took another sip of wine. “You need to turn the chicken.”

Shiro did. The back of his neck and his ears were red. Oil sizzled and sent up smoke. Keith switched on the range fan to pull it from the room and resettled against Shiro’s back. They didn’t say anything for a few minutes.

Finally, Shiro cleared his throat.

“The captain’s quarters on board the _Atlas_ is a suite. It’s not large, but Aki would have her own room. We’d have a little privacy.”

“I wouldn’t mind having the summer off.”

“I’d need to let them know in advance.”

“How soon?”

“At least three months out. There are medical requirements.”

“So, April?” Keith said. He finished his wine and set the glass down, snaking his second arm around Shiro. “Sounds like we’ll definitely be visiting your family this winter.”

Shiro took the pan off of the heat and switched it off. “What about the houses?”

“We could add on to this place, although your commute would be longer.”

“I don’t mind driving.” Shiro turned around in his arms. His eyes were red but he was smiling.

“We should eat while it’s warm,” Keith said. Shiro kissed him hard.

“You get forks, I’ll get the plates.”

* * *

Throughout dinner, he touched Keith in some way, either their knees under the table or his hand on Keith’s leg, and when they moved to the sofa to relax, Shiro tucked Keith under his arm and rested their heads together.

Keith tried to imagine his living space strewn with toys, an extension off of the hallway with an office and another bedroom. Or they could build a suite off of the other side of the house so the bedrooms weren’t adjacent and there would be less chance of a walk-in. It would probably take a few months to complete. Maybe it could be done by the new year.

It was strange to think that ten months ago, they’d hardly known each other, that Keith had ever been content to fall asleep without Shiro next to him. That he’d consider knocking down the walls in this place. He wouldn’t mind Shiro’s leather couch in place of this one, or the patio set beyond the back door. The rest they could sell or leave—Shiro didn’t care about any of it.

“Let me draw you,” Keith said.

Shiro without his clothes on was an improvement to the ugly sofa, and although he didn’t like Keith’s no-touching rule while the sketchbook was out, he lay in various positions and let Keith move his arms and legs to suit him. And after he’d filled several pages, Keith closed the cover and took pity on him, kneeling between his legs.

Shiro didn’t leave until a quarter to ten, the latest his sitter could stay out. He went home in one of Keith’s t-shirts that fit him like another skin. Keith watched his car pull away from the front door.

Would there come a time when he didn’t think of things like t-shirts or cars as specifically his or as Shiro’s? And this house, when they lived here together, would it become theirs? Would it always be Keith’s house and the furniture Shiro’s ex-husband picked out, or would Aki call it hers?

Could the captain’s quarters on the _Atlas_ be home?

Keith rubbed his thumb over a spot of dried yellow paint on his ring finger. Yeah, he thought. Probably.

* * *

The last day of the summer program fell on a Wednesday.

Campers spent the morning creating a paper zoo, which they presented to their parents in an early afternoon ceremony when most of them were picked up. Keith led the six students who were staying for aftercare back to the classroom, and after snack time they lay down for a nap.

Keith cleared away curls of paper left behind and scraped dried glue off of the tables. For two weeks, this room would sit empty, and come September he would have a new group of students walking through that door. Aki would start kindergarten, and Keith would become simply another teacher at her school.

He shook Shiro’s hand when he picked her up at six-thirty. For once he was on time.

“Thank you for taking care of my daughter,” Shiro said. Keith squeezed his hand.

“It’s been my honor, Commander. Aki...” He knelt down so they could talk face to face. “It was great having you in my class all year and this summer. I hope you have a wonderful time in kindergarten. Keep up your drawing, okay?”

“Okay.” Her lip quivered. “Miss you.”

He smiled at her kindly. “The kindergarten classroom is down the hallway, so we can still say hi.”

She nodded. Shiro picked her up and she put her head on his shoulder. “Let me know when you’re done with work.”

“I should be finished up here pretty soon.”

Shiro held his gaze before he walked away, and Aki waved to Keith over his shoulder.

He sent a message as he was leaving the school an hour later. He didn’t make it to the parking lot before his phone rang.

“What are you doing tonight?” Shiro asked. He sounded happy.

“I thought I might hang out with my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend, huh? Is he cute?”

“He’s pretty hot.”

“Guess I don’t have a chance then.”

Keith laughed and let his hair down. “How should we do this?”

“Come here. We can have dinner. I want to tell her about us, assuming you’re okay with that.”

“I’d like to tell her. I felt bad not being able to say anything this afternoon when she started crying. Can I pick something up for dinner?”

“I told her we could have pizza.”

“I’ll grab one on the way. I’m heading home now. Just cheese?”

“That’s all she eats.”

“Do you need anything else while I’m out?”

“An extra toothbrush?”

Keith hesitated. “You want me to stay over while Aki’s there?”

“I want us to start acting like a family as soon as possible, especially...well, especially if we’re still planning to do what we talked about a couple weeks ago.”

“What if she reacts badly?”

“Let’s see how dinner goes,” Shiro said.

* * *

Keith had never been more nervous to pack a bag. Being an only child, he didn’t interact with kids outside of work. He didn’t have siblings or close friends with children, and he had no idea how to win one over if he wasn’t teaching them. From the time he and Shiro had started seeing each other, he’d been careful to leave their relationship out of the classroom, which meant his relationship with Aki went no deeper than a teacher and student. One evening aside, she’d known him as Mr. Kogane, and now they were about to tell her that he would be her third parent.

He ordered extra cheese on the pizza and a side of cinnamon sticks with the sweet dipping sauce, hoping she liked those as much as he did.

His heart pounded overtime as he rang the doorbell. He heard Aki say something and Shiro answer, “Let’s go see who it is!” Shiro smiled at Keith through the glass and turned the deadbolt. Aki was hiding behind his legs with the stuffed _Calypso_ when he opened the front door. Keith gulped and held up the pizza.

“Delivery.”

“Mr. Kogane!”

“Hi, Aki. I bet you’re wondering what I’m doing here.”

She pointed to the pizza.

“I did bring dinner, that’s true.”

“We’ll eat in a minute,” Shiro said. “Aki, Keith and I need to talk to you about something. Can we all go inside?”

Aki and _Calypso_ led the way. They settled around the kitchen table. Aki watched them seriously from her high chair. Shiro spoke first.

“Aki, you like Keith, don’t you?”

She nodded.

“I like him too. Daddy and Keith have become good friends. Sometimes you make a friend you like so much, you want to see them all the time.” Shiro held Keith’s hand on top of the table where she could see it. “What would you think about Keith being part of our family?”

She looked thoughtful and tilted her head. “Papa?”

“Papa will always be your family, just like I’ll always be your family. This is new family. Keith would live with us, and we would eat together and go places.”

“I’m not your teacher anymore,” Keith said, “but this way, we can still draw together every day if you want.”

“And you can see Krolia more,” Shiro said.

“That’s right. My mom would love to see you.”

She seemed to consider that. “Dog?”

“You can visit him any time,” Keith said. “Or he could come over here if your dad says it’s all right.”

“Okay,” Aki said.

“Okay?” Shiro repeated.

She nodded and pointed to the box on the counter. “Pizza?”

“I guess that’s it for the talk.” Shiro slapped his thighs and stood up. “We need plates.”

“I brought cinnamon sticks,” Keith blurted and felt a tug in his heart when Aki smiled.

“Aki loves those,” Shiro said. “Say thank you to Keith. Baby, what do you want to drink?”

It was a moment before Keith realized Shiro was speaking to him. “Why do you call me that?”

“Because you blush when I say it.”

Keith rubbed his face. “I’ll have whatever you’re having,” he mumbled.

“I’m giving you beer. Then you can’t leave.” Shiro kissed his cheek when he sat down. Keith ducked his chin.

“Daddy kiss Keef,” Aki said.

“I did. Daddy’s going to kiss Keith a _lot_ from now on.”

“Takashi,” Keith said.

“There’s nothing wrong with her seeing two adults express affection for one another. In fact, I think it’s good for her to see a healthy relationship.” He kissed Keith again and looked at Aki. “What do we say before eating?”

Whatever it was, it wasn’t in English.

“You’ll have to teach me a few of those expressions before we go overseas,” Keith said. “I don’t want to make a fool of myself in front of your parents. Aki, remember we learned to chew with our mouths closed?”

She partially shut hers. Keith realized what he’d said and turned to Shiro. “I’m sorry. It’s a habit from the classroom.”

“It’s fine. I’m glad you’re comfortable correcting her.”

Feeling bold, Keith swiftly kissed him. “You had sauce on your face,” he said and turned his attention to his own plate.

Aki chatted with him on and off as they ate. She was delighted she was allowed to use his first name now and said it regularly, especially when she attempted to pawn off her pizza crust so she could have dessert. When they were finished eating, Shiro cleaned her hands and wiped the frosting from her mouth.

“Tub time,” he said, lifting her from her high chair. “And then bedtime.”

“No tub.”

“Yes, tub. You’re sticky. We will be back.”

“I’ll clean up,” Keith said.

He put the leftover pizza into the refrigerator and wrapped the last two cinnamon sticks for morning. They’d be good with coffee. Then he made a half pot to counter the drowsy effect of the beer. It had finished brewing by the time Shiro carried a much-cleaner Aki downstairs in unicorn pajamas.

“I thought I smelled coffee,” Shiro said.

“Do you want a cup?”

“That’d be great. We were about to have story time.”

“Oh,” Keith said. He pointed up the staircase. “Should I...wait?”

“Aki and I would like it if you’d join us.”

Keith poured them each a mug and set them on the table in front of the couch. Shiro settled with Aki on his lap and took a book from one of the drawers.

“This is an old one,” Keith said. “My dad read this to me when I was little.”

“Maybe Keith would read it to us,” Shiro said to Aki, tickling her sides, and she nodded multiple times.

“Just warning you,” Keith said, “I do voices.”

“You are the professional.”

Shiro kept an arm around Keith’s shoulders while he read and occasionally reached for his coffee. Aki squirmed the more tired she got, and by the last page, had put her head against Shiro’s chest and looked at Keith blearily.

“I think someone’s ready for bed,” he said.

“She’s good about going to sleep, aren’t you.” Shiro kissed the top of her head. “Do you want to walk or am I carrying you?”

“Up.”

“Yes, ma’am. Should we head up too?”

“I wouldn’t mind turning in early,” Keith said.

He walked with them up the stairs. Shiro paused outside of Aki’s room and turned so she was facing Keith.

“Tell Keith goodnight. You’ll see him in the morning, okay? Daddy will make pancakes.”

“Night,” Aki said.

“Goodnight,” Keith said and patted her head.

“I’ll be right in,” Shiro said.

Keith went into the master bedroom and set down the bag he’d brought. It contained a change of clothes—enough to last up through the weekend if Shiro asked him to stay. They’d see how breakfast went. He washed up and changed into shorts, and was getting in bed as Shiro came into the room.

“I cleared part of the top drawer for you in case you want to leave anything here. I’m going to take a fast shower.”

The water started. Keith emptied his bag, sliding it under the bed, and flipped on the television. Tomorrow would be hot but cloudy. Might be a good playground day. There was one just a couple blocks from here they could walk to.

A few minutes later, Shiro came to bed with damp hair. “I love seeing you in this bed.” He pulled the covers back and kissed Keith’s stomach before stretching out beside him. “I think that went well. She seemed to understand.”

“Kids are smart. She can probably tell you’re happy.”

“That doesn’t describe it.” Shiro captured his face and looked into Keith’s eyes. “Are you okay with all of this? Are we moving too fast?”

“Fast was January. I lost track of how many times we had sex that first weekend.”

“Seven, I think.”

With his thumb, Keith eased the worry lines between Shiro’s eyebrows. “There’s no point in holding back now. I spent enough time without you.”

“It was a long summer.”

“I mean everything before that. We’ve both lived here all this time and I never knew you. If I hadn’t been her teacher, we probably wouldn’t have met.”

“I think your mother would’ve tried to fix us up,” Shiro said with a laugh.

Something in Keith’s chest tightened. “I love you,” he said. “Would you wear a ring if I bought you one?”

“If you’ll wear one too.”

“Maybe we can go shopping this weekend.” Keith took off his shirt and pressed himself fully against Shiro’s front. Shiro put his arms around him.

“I’ve missed this,” he said.

“Are you tired?”

“No.”

“Is the door locked?”

“Yes. She should be asleep by now.”

Keith smiled against his neck. “Think we can beat seven?”

“Probably not,” Shiro said, laughing, into his ear. “But let’s try anyway.”

 

 

 

 

_-end_


	4. epilogue

They met Adam for coffee on a Saturday the first weekend he was home in late September. Krolia had volunteered to watch Aki for a few hours. They dropped her off after breakfast, both slightly dejected when she took off her coat and ran into the house without a look back.

“She’ll be fine,” Krolia said, already closing the door. “Enjoy yourselves.”

With time to kill, they detoured to the jeweler and the hardware store for a new door lock since Keith’s had finally stopped functioning. In the electronics aisle, Shiro tried to persuade him to spring for the hands-free model that used facial or voice recognition instead of fingerprints, but Keith wasn’t having it.

“Wouldn’t that mean your brother could get into the house any time that he wanted?” he said.

“Your parents could bypass the door if they use Kosmo,” Shiro said. “My brother is five-thousand miles away.”

“This system costs twice as much.”

“I’ll pay for it.”

“That’s not the point.”

“It’s easier if my hands are full.”

“How often is that a problem?” Keith said. Shiro nipped at his ear.

“You got angry when I put you down last week because it wouldn’t open, and I _was_ planning to carry you over the threshold one day.”

Keith blushed and smacked him away. “Do you hear the things that come out of your mouth?” he said but put the more expensive model into their cart. He let Shiro pay and tossed in a Milky Way for good measure. He and Aki would split it later when Shiro was in the shower.

The cafe where they were meeting Adam was located just off of the main street. It had always been a little expensive and preppy for Keith’s taste, but apparently Adam frequented it. At twenty-six minutes past noon, Shiro found an open parking space across the street and shut off the car.

Keith put his hands on his knees and swallowed nervousness he hadn’t anticipated. They weren’t meeting with Adam to get his approval. Whether he liked Keith or not wasn’t the issue. This was about Aki. But if Keith was this nervous walking into a cafe to talk with Shiro’s ex, how in the hell was he going to survive the impending trip to Japan? The idea of Shiro’s family rejecting him wrecked his stomach like bad bar food.

“You okay?” Shiro asked, laying a hand on his shoulder. Keith curled his fingers into his jeans and nodded once.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“I really appreciate you agreeing to this. Adam and I might not have made it as a couple, but he’s important to me. I would really like it if the two of you could be friends.”

“I don’t know how friendly I can be with the guy you used to sleep with, but I’ll do my best.”

“Are you jealous?”

“He was your husband. You have a daughter together.”

Shiro took a breath and Keith’s hand.

“He’s Aki’s father and he will always be a friend, but you’re the person I’m spending my life with. By the time we’re both old men, the years I was with him won’t matter. Besides...” He kissed Keith’s ring finger. “Don’t you think I’m jealous of all of the people you’ve been with?”

“You’re not about to have coffee with them,” Keith muttered, squinting at a familiar silhouette through the window. “I feel like I’m walking into an interview.”

“Would it make you feel better if I tell you I’m nervous every time I go to your parents’ house?”

“My parents would disown me and adopt you if you asked. Your dad, on the other hand, might make me sleep in the road.”

“He’s actually looking forward to meeting you,” Shiro said.

That was news to Keith. “You talked to him?”

“I called him on his birthday. He’d heard about us from my brother. I guess Ryou told him you were the one insisting we fly over. He’s practicing his English.”

“Remind me to thank your brother.”

Shiro laughed quietly and kissed his cheek. “It’s half past. We should go in.”

“Yeah.”

“I promise to reward you thoroughly when we get home.”

“My mom did say she could keep Aki for the afternoon.”

“We can get naked and research contractors.”

“You know how to sweet talk a guy.” Keith looked back toward the cafe, glass doors glinting in the warm afternoon sun, and unlocked the car door. “All right. Let’s do this.”

* * *

Adam was surprisingly cordial. Keith hadn’t expected hostility from him—awkwardness, yes. A few probing questions. He’d been prepared to answer whatever Adam might throw at him, so when Shiro stood to get their order, he was caught off guard when Adam took a sip of his earl grey latte and said, “Is his cooking as bad as I remember?”

Keith laughed. “He’s getting better. He can make a few things with chicken now.”

“He used to be limited to mac and cheese. The kind from a box. Lucky for him Aki loves it.”

“Yeah, I loved that stuff growing up too.” Keith glanced to Shiro, who was talking excitedly with the barista. It looked like he’d be a minute. “Before he comes back, I wanted to say that I’m really sorry for the way you found out about us. I know he’s already talked with you about it, but I wanted you to hear it from me.”

“Thank you.” Adam looked at him over his cup. “Are you going with him next summer?”

“I’m planning to.”

“Then I guess I owe you both congratulations.”

“For what?” Shiro said, joining them. He set Keith’s hot chocolate in front of him and settled into the adjacent chair, blowing steam from his espresso.

“I assume you’re getting married before you go to Daibazaal,” Adam said. Shiro coughed and Adam looked at Keith. “Unless...I’m sorry, maybe you’re traveling as a guest of Commander Kogane?”

“She’s thinking about going,” Keith said. He took the lid off of his drink and ate half of the whipped cream. “But you were right the first time.”

Adam smiled a little too generously and shifted his gaze to Shiro. “At least I didn’t scare you off of marriage entirely.”

“I was going to tell you once we got closer to it, Adam,” Shiro said. He sounded closed off and fit his hand to Keith’s knee. Adam took a long sip of his tea and adjusted his glasses.

“There’s no need for that tone. Believe it or not, Takashi, I’m happy for you. Are you all living at the house now?”

“Actually, we’re moving into Keith’s place soon.”

“I’ve got a couple acres on the edge of town,” Keith said, feeling obligated to explain. “It’s a safe area, lots of open space, plus my folks live nearby. The house is a one-bedroom but we’re going to be expanding it.”

Adam looked back to Shiro. “You’re selling our house?”

“You said you didn’t want it,” Shiro said.

“I don’t. I’m asking about your plans.”

“We’ll put it on the market once my place is finished,” Keith said. “It’ll be easier to live there while construction’s going on. Less dust.”

“How long will that take?” Adam said.

“I don’t know. We haven’t started yet but I hope we can be in by the summer. We’ll have a barbecue to celebrate. You should come.”

Adam blinked. “I’d like that.”

Shiro squeezed Keith’s leg under the table. “So what about you,” he said to Adam. “Are you seeing anyone?”

Adam did a poor job of hiding a smile. “It’s nothing serious. He’s a communications officer. We’ve had dinner a couple of times.”

“Communications. Do I know him?”

“Rivera?”

Shiro got a thoughtful look. “The one I used to joke could be your brother?”

“We don’t look that much alike,” Adam said. “He’s a little young for me.”

“Has he met Aki yet?”

“No. It’s way too early. I’ll have him meet the two of you before I do that.”

Keith was surprised to be included. He put a hand on top of Shiro’s under the table. Adam reached into a messenger bag hanging from his chair and took out his phone.

“Keith, I’d like to exchange contact information, if that’s all right. That way, if anything happens with her and you need to get in touch with me...”

Nodding, Keith wiped his mouth and pulled his phone from his pocket. “You too. You know. If you need help with her.” When their devices touched to sync, the screen illuminated with the photo his dad had taken of him and Shiro at the museum opening.

“Did you take her to see this?” Adam said.

“Yeah, my dad got a picture of her with the ship. Hang on.” Keith scrolled through two months of photos and held it up. Adam touched his mouth.

“Could you send me that?”

“Sure,” Keith said. “I have a bunch of her drawings too if you want them. She was on a roll this month.”

“Please. Maybe we could set up a photo stream.”

“Definitely. Send me an invite.”

Once they’d gotten it set up and Keith was transferring weeks of Aki’s art, Shiro took a breath. “Adam, would you be okay if we took her to see my parents for a few days in November?”

“You’re speaking to them again? Wow.” Adam took a moment to compose himself. “I don’t have any objection. That’s...well, I know you’ve wanted to go back.”

“We’ll probably go at Thanksgiving. It’s when we both have time off. I know it’s your year...”

“I’m glad you’re taking her. I realize I was rigid about visitation in the beginning, but I don’t want to get caught up in ownership of her time. I hope that can go both ways.”

“You can see her any time you want,” Shiro said. “We will never keep her from you. Why don’t you take her on Christmas?”

“She’ll want to be home then,” Adam said. “My apartment is too small for a tree and I don’t have anywhere to hang stockings.”

“Then come over,” Keith said. “We’ll make breakfast and do presents.”

“That’s generous of you, but I don’t want to intrude...”

“Keith is right,” Shiro said. “She’d love it if you were there. Last year was hard on her.”

Adam removed his glasses and dabbed his eyes with the corner of a square napkin. “I make an excellent hashbrown casserole,” he said.

* * *

They ended up staying at the cafe for two hours. Adam shook Keith’s hand before he left. “Thank you for the pictures,” he said. Shiro put an arm behind Keith’s back as they crossed the street to the car and kissed him before he turned on the engine.

“Thank you for doing this,” he said. “Do you still want to go home before we pick her up?”

“Uh huh. Let’s go to my place. We’ll drop off the lock and I need to feed the cat.”

Shiro took the longer route that avoided the highway and ran along the outskirts of the city where houses were sparse. It had become routine to ride along in the front seat with Shiro’s hand on his leg, and Keith had begun a new habit of placing his left hand on top of Shiro’s and tracing the joints in the metal.

“Are you hungry?” Keith asked when they reached the house.

“Starving.” Shiro kissed him in the driveway. “Are you going to install the lock now? I can make something while you do.”

“I’ll save it for tomorrow. It’ll take a couple hours.”

“Then let’s do something. I haven’t had a whole day off with you in weeks.”

“It would have been a perfect day to go riding,” Keith said. “We should have grabbed the second bike while we were at my folks’.”

“I don’t mind doubling up. Can your bike take the weight?”

“You wouldn’t mind holding onto me?”

“You drive out, I’ll drive back.”

“I’ll drive back,” Keith said. “You get tired after you eat.”

Shiro couldn’t fit Keith’s riding jacket and wore the one he had on. Arms around Shiro’s waist, head firmly against his back, Keith watched the landscape whip past from his position behind him. He hadn’t ridden double since he’d been a kid with skinny arms clutching at his dad’s jacket to keep from falling off. Shiro didn’t maneuver anything like that. It was relaxing not having to think, to close his eyes and feel the wind.

They stopped for lunch at his favorite spot, which they also christened on a blanket he’d had the sense to throw into the bike’s compartment.

“Now we _have_ to add on to the house,” Shiro said, stretching out beside him. He’d pulled his shorts up but his shirt was somewhere with Keith’s clothes. “We’re out of new places.”

“There’s always your office.”

“We said work was off limits.”

Keith had one arm bent over his face to block the sun. His hair had come loose and tickled his shoulders when the wind blew.

“California,” he said. “Next month.”

“I might not want to leave the hotel.”

“Do they have room service?”

“I’m pretty sure.”

“Then it’s fine by me.”

Shiro laughed into Keith’s neck. “We’ll do a little sight-seeing. I hope the Garrison doesn’t have drones out today.”

“Who’d see the footage if they do?”

“Adam’s boyfriend, probably.”

Keith grinned. “Then we should do it again.”

“If we head back now, we’ll have time to look up a few contractors before we pick her up.”

“We can do that tonight. Why don’t we stay at my place since we’re already out this way? I guarantee my parents are going to ask us to stay for dinner.”

“Aki _has_ been asking when she can sleep on your couch again. She thinks it’s camping.”

“Is she gonna be sad when we throw it out?”

“The couch? Maybe we can put it in her room.”

Keith uncovered his face and raised his eyebrows. “Exactly how big is this extension gonna be?”

“Well.” Shiro kissed him. “I don’t want to have to move again in a few years because we run out of space.”

“It would be nice to have a bigger kitchen.”

“Your parents could come to our place.”

“Your family could visit if we built a guest room,” Keith said.

Shiro looked down at him tenderly. There was a shine to his eyes when he blinked. “Thank you,” he said.

Keith was confused. He raised a hand to Shiro’s cheek. “For what?”

“Finding me.”

* * *

They got back to his parents’ house a little before sundown. Krolia had already put Aki into her pajamas. She was sitting on the L-shaped couch with Keith’s dad looking at his collection of butterfly photography and shouted Keith’s name when they walked into the living room.

“Hey, sweet pea,” he said through a grin. “Are you ready to go home?”

“No.”

“Daddy and Keith missed you,” Shiro said.

Aki returned her attention to the screen and Keith patted Shiro’s back through the rejection.

“Was she okay?” Shiro asked, settling on the couch. Keith sat on the floor next to his feet, sighing a little when Shiro began to stroke his hair.

Krolia nodded. “She’s been fussy since she woke up from her nap, but I think it’s because she played so much earlier. She wore out the dog. He’s asleep on our bed.”

“Thank you so much for watching her. Aki, can you say thank you to Commander and Mr. Kogane?”

Aki kicked her feet. “Thank you, Koi-ya! Mr. Keef!”

“What was that last part?” Keith said.

“That’s her new name for your father, isn’t it darling?” Krolia said. “I hope you’re both planning to stay for dinner. He bought enough to feed a flight crew.”

“I’d hate to trouble you,” Shiro said.

“Good,” said Keith’s dad. “Then you’ll help us eat the steaks. Now Aki, this is a Western Tiger Swallowtail. Can you say ‘swallowtail’?”

“No,” Aki said.

“Well, we’ll work on that.”

Krolia smiled and glanced to Keith and Shiro. She got a serious look on her face. “Did my son do that to your neck?”

“Mom, seriously?” Keith said and gestured to Aki, who appeared mesmerized by a photo of a purplish, fuzzy butterfly and hadn’t overheard. Krolia tapped her fingers against her arm and continued to stare at them.

“I...” Shiro had reddened to his ears. “Yes, ma’am.”

She sighed. “Keith, next time choose a spot that won’t show in uniform. I raised you better than this.”

Keith hid his face against Shiro’s legs. Shiro laughed the loudest.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. This story was supposed to be a third this length, but I fell in love with their love and it kept expanding. I hope something in it meant something to you. 
> 
> Like Shiro in this story, I went through a divorce a few years ago, so writing about finding new love after one was cathartic. In the original outline they were supposed to break up in the restaurant (Keith was the one who ended things - it's [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PaMB5jawW52BcWgLbA564pxf2DmmvM0MG5K_1ZdOnyI/edit?usp=sharing) if you want to read it), but when it came to write that part, Shiro wouldn't let me. And I'm so glad he didn't, because the story became about their unwavering love, which is what drew me to this ship in the first place. I still love it despite the final season.
> 
> The epilogue posted two weeks later because I didn't want to hold this up with the new season looming. I loved this show and was devastated to have to say goodbye to it. 
> 
> I forgot to mention that the preschool where Keith works is a combination school/daycare/aftercare that caters to parents who work for the Garrison. That's why the kids are able to stay late (although I imagine there's a half-day pickup point around lunch). I hope that's self-evident, but just in case it wasn't...
> 
> Thank you to Jess, who served as an alpha and beta reader for this story. I'm so grateful you were able to figure out what I was trying to do and help me get there. Thank you to DesiraeSterite and Kanoitrace for their help in answering my questions about teaching young children. Thank you to my family. Much of Aki's behavior and speech patterns are derived from videos of my nephew when he was her age. I also drew on my sister's experience as a single parent, and her reaction when her ex started to date (which she found out about through her toddler). And finally, thank you to synne for the prompt and your encouragement, for staying friends despite my fandom jumps, for the introduction to this show. ♥ 
> 
> If you're on Twitter, [I hope you'll come say hello](http://www.twitter.com/museawayfic).


	5. timestamp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adam gets food poisoning the weekend Keith and Shiro are supposed to move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following timestamp takes place in late spring, about half a year after the epilogue.

Shiro hadn't gotten out of work last night until close to eleven, so when his phone pinged at six that morning and he was still snoring face-down into a pillow that had been Keith's up until two months ago, Keith got out of bed and took the phone into the living room.

The message was from Adam.

_Afraid I have food poisoning. Would you come get her?_

Keith sighed. They'd been looking forward to the weekend alone now that the renovations were finished. The kitchen had taken the longest. He’d come here straight after work on Friday to get the house clean so they could officially move in over the weekend. They'd already brought over the large furniture they were keeping two weeks ago when Hunk had been in town to give them a hand. Most of it was shoved into what would become Keith’s studio. They’d decided against keeping any of the bedroom furniture. The new pieces were in flat boxes waiting to be assembled. Keith had scrubbed every inch of the new kitchen and vacuumed up the last of the drywall dust before eating cereal for dinner and collapsing. They’d spent last night on a mattress on the floor.

The plan for this morning had been to go by Shiro’s house for the stuff they hadn’t been able to live without (clothes, food, Aki’s toys), set up the kitchen and living room, set up the bedrooms, and if they had any energy left, break in the new bed. But if Adam was sick, there was no helping it.

 _No problem_ , he wrote. He put on the same clothes he'd dropped on the floor last night, left a note on the counter for Shiro, and grabbed his keys.

Adam lived in Garrison housing a twenty-minute drive from the house. It was a warm morning, already seventy degrees. Keith took Shiro's car and drove with the windows down. He parked in one of the guest spaces and when Adam didn't answer on the third ring, used the spare key to let himself in.

"Hello?"

Aki was sitting in the living room with her blanket and hippo watching a cartoon about robots on the flat-screen TV.

"Keef!"

"Hey, kiddo. Papa said he isn't feeling well, so I came to take you home. Let's get your things together."

She'd only brought a small bag that was in her bedroom. He did a quick check to make sure all of her clothes were inside and zipped it up, setting it next to the front door.

"I'm going to talk with Adam for a minute. Are you okay watching TV?"

She nodded without looking at him.

He knocked on Adam's bedroom door. Faintly he could hear Adam say, "Takashi?"

"It's Keith. I've got her stuff together. Do you need anything before we take off?"

"Thanks, but I'll be fine. I'm sorry for the short pick-up notice."

"It's no problem. Can I get you anything while I'm here? Tea or something?"

"I'll eat in a while. I'm not sure I could keep food down right now."

"Alright. We'll see you later."

Adam started to reply and was cut short by gagging.

"You okay?" Keith said. Adam didn't answer, just retched again. "Do you need me to take you to the hospital?"

"No. I'm fine, really."

Keith glanced to Aki, who looked content for the moment. "Aki, did you eat breakfast yet?"

"No."

He knocked on the bedroom door again. "Adam, I'm going to borrow your kitchen and get her something to eat. We don’t have any food at the house."

"There's a new container of milk. You should take it with you. I'll never drink it."

"Sure. We'll be in the living room."

Adam's kitchen might as well have been a surgical room. It was spotless, with only a small stack of mail on the counter and nothing on the refrigerator. Inside was a carton of eggs, a half-gallon of milk, cheese, a package of chicken, and enough vegetables to stock a small farmers market. Keith took out the eggs and cheese and set about making an omelet.

While it cooked, he rummaged through the cabinets displaying forward-facing labels and came up with a box of Irish Breakfast tea and Dinosaur Eggs oatmeal. Maple flavored.

"You never eat the oatmeal Daddy makes for you," he said to Aki, waving the box at her.

She made a sour face. "That's not mine."

"Do you think Papa would eat it?"

She shrugged and went back to watching her show. He served her omelet on the coffee table and drank the tea on the sofa with his eyes closed.

He heard Adam moving around in his room an episode later, so Keith went back into the kitchen and made a second cup of tea and a bowl of oatmeal. The "eggs" dissolved to orange and green streaks as he stirred it, leaving behind small red dinosaurs. Either Adam had bought this for Aki by mistake, or he was a lot more interesting than Keith gave him credit for.

When Adam emerged from the bedroom, he had about as much color in his face as the apartment's decor. Instead of the usual neat clothing Keith was used to seeing him wear, he was in gray sweatpants and a faded Cardinals t-shirt. His hair stuck up in the front and his glasses magnified the dark circles beneath his eyes.

"You look like hell," Keith said. "What did you eat?"

Adam put a hand on his stomach. "I think it was the salmon burger. Woke up at three this morning feeling like I had a knife in my gut. I haven't been able to get out of the bathroom."

Keith gestured to the bowl and mug on the coffee table. "I found oatmeal in your cabinet. Aki wasn't sure if you'd eat it."

"You really didn't have to do this."

"All I did was use your microwave. There's tea, too."

Adam gingerly lowered himself onto the couch. He took the mug into his hands and sighed as he brought it to his face.

"So what's with the dinosaur oatmeal?" Keith said.

Adam blushed. "I bought a box for her once before I realized she wouldn't eat it. Somehow I keep buying it." He blew on the surface of his tea. "How's the house coming along?"

"It's done," Keith said. "We're going to get the last of the things from Shiro's place this weekend."

"Oh, that’s right. He mentioned that when he dropped her off. I’m sorry to do this to you."

"It’s not a big deal. I’m used to hanging out with kids."

Adam took a long sip of tea. "I'm still surprised he decided to move. When we divorced, he was adamant about her not leaving that house."

"How come you didn't want it?"

"It was too big for just me. And, well… it would be hard to forget." Adam took another sip and his stomach made a noise in response. He put a hand to it and set down the mug. "Are you all set for Daibazaal?"

"More or less. My folks finally decided they're coming along. They're trying to figure out what to do with the dog."

"Has the commander been back since she came here?"

"Nope."

Adam let out a sigh. "I've always wanted to see Daibazaal. I'd hoped Takashi would turn down the assignment so I could take it."

"I'm sure there will be other flights now. Mom said they might do a regular run, though probably not as frequent as Altea's. Shiro's looking into it."

"I heard he’s started taking short missions again. Don't you mind when he's gone?"

Keith wasn't going to lie and say he liked when Shiro was off-planet. It was lonely being by himself now that he’d gotten used to living with another person. And while the loneliness was tolerable, especially when he had Aki, there was a persistent, chilling fear that something could happen to Shiro out there and Keith would be helpless to do anything about it.

He shrugged. "I like when he comes home."

The TV began to play the song that signaled the end of Aki's show. She seemed to remember she was not the only person in the room and turned around to look at Keith and Adam.

"Papa, are you feeling better?" she said.

Adam's face went soft. "A little," he said. "I'm sad I won't get to spend the weekend with you."

She looked at Keith. "Can Papa come with us?"

"Probably not today," Keith said.

She looked disappointed but didn't argue, opening a drawer in the coffee table and taking out paper and markers.

"Keef, draw me a hippo."

"What color?"

He accepted a pale pink marker. Two minutes later, Aki was scribbling intense blue inside the pink lines Keith had put down. When he sat back on the couch, he noticed Adam glance at him.

"What?" Keith said.

"You might not believe me," Adam said, "but I'm glad he found you. I was worried about him after we broke up. We'd been together for so many years, I think we were too dependent on each other. I wasn't sure how he would adjust to being single, let alone a single parent. I have to say, I'm a little jealous. He's more relaxed than he was with me."

Keith smiled. "Hope you're not asking for him back ‘cause I'm not handing him over."

Laughing, Adam shook his head and picked up the bowl of oatmeal. "I'm not sure I could handle his intensity again."

Keith nodded and finished his tea, setting the empty mug next to Aki's plate. "How are things going with that guy you were seeing?"

"I don't know," Adam said between bites. "He wants to meet Aki."

"That's a good thing."

"I've been putting it off. I don't want to introduce her to someone who might not stay a part of her life. If we break up…"

"You can't think like that. Either go into this thing believing it's going to work, or don't do it. If he's asking to meet her, he's obviously serious about you."

Adam paused to take another bite of oatmeal. "Did you have any doubts?" he said.

"What, about Shiro having a kid? No. I did think he was getting back together with you for a while, though."

"I'm afraid of letting them meet."

Keith turned his head. "You don't think they'll get along?"

"I think they may get along _too_ well. And as for Aki, I don't know what would be best. Do I bring him here? Should she and I meet him somewhere? What if she doesn't like him?"

"We're doing that cookout in three weeks," Keith said. "Bring him with you. That way it's real casual."

"You're suggesting I introduce my boyfriend to my daughter at my ex-husband's husband's house?"

"Yeah," Keith said. "And can you bring that German potato salad you made for Easter? My mom keeps talking about it."

"For how many people?"

"Maybe thirty. Shiro's inviting a bunch of people from the base."

"That shouldn't be a problem."

Adam took the final bite of oatmeal and set the bowl aside. Keith carried the dishes to the kitchen and washed them, returning with a glass of water that he handed to Adam.

"You're probably dehydrated," he said. "Do you want me to run out and get you Gatorade or something?"

"Water's fine." Adam took a drink and cleared his throat. "Do you two have an evening free this week?"

"Are you finally going to introduce us to this guy?" Keith said, raising an eyebrow.

Adam adjusted his glasses. "I'd better if I'm going to bring him to your house," he said.

"I'll talk to Shiro and let you know. I'm sure my parents can watch her for an evening."

Aki held up the drawing for them to see. The pink lines were barely visible now, hidden behind the aqua she had used to color in the body, and the orange and red sky she'd filled in behind it. On its face she had drawn a large smiling mouth.

"That looks awesome," Keith said. "Are you ready to go see Dad? He's probably up by now."

"I want pancakes," she said.

"You just had eggs."

Aki stuck out her lip, so Keith conceded, "Maybe we can have breakfast for dinner."

She smiled with all of her teeth and put the paper and markers back into the drawer. She came around the table and handed the drawing to Adam.

"Thank you, sweetheart," he said. "Should we put it in your room?"

"It's for you," she said.

"Oh, I see. We'll find a good spot for it." He laid it aside.

"Aki, give Papa a hug so we can let him rest," Keith said.

She did. Adam bent over to hug her and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you. I'll call you tonight before you go to bed," he said.

"Okay."

"Go put on your shoes," Keith said.

She saluted and ran to the door. Adam watched her with a mixed expression, like he might laugh or spontaneously cry.

Keith rubbed his neck. "Hey, so...we were planning to go to the aquarium next Saturday. You should come with us if you think you can stand to look at fish by then."

"That's generous of you," Adam said with a faint smile. "But I don't want to get in the way of your family time."

"It's just me and Aki. Shiro's gone next weekend."

Adam looked as surprised as he had the day Keith suggested they celebrate holidays together. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung slightly open. He carefully licked his lips. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Nah. I'll text you when I know what time we're going. It'll probably be first thing."

"I look forward to it." Adam's stomach made a threatening noise. He cringed and put both hands to it, getting off of the couch. "I'm sorry. I think I need to…"

"You feel better," Keith said. "If you need something, call us."

"Thank you." Adam ducked back inside his bedroom and Keith heard him call, "Don't forget to take the milk!"

"Got it," Keith called back. He took the drawing with him into the kitchen.

Aki got her shoes on by herself and put on her pink sunglasses. Keith slipped on his aviators. Milk tucked in the crook of his left arm and her bag over his shoulder, he held her hand as they went out into the hallway. Behind them in the quiet apartment, an aqua hippo smiled from the refrigerator door.

* * *

Shiro was in the kitchen in a robe reading the news when they got home. Aki shouted that she was back and ran straight for her new room—the only room set up. They’d made sure to do that one first.

The new kitchen island faced the glass sliders. It started where the old counter had been and jutted three feet into the living room. They’d knocked down the partial wall, which made the kitchen twice as bright and allowed access from both ends. The living room was empty except for the TV on the floor Keith had hooked up last night and Shiro’s leather sofa hidden under a tarp. The plan was to put his glass dining table where Keith's easel used to be. That would go in the new studio, which had its own sliding door into the backyard.

Later today, they’d dig out the bar stools from Shiro’s old place which were somewhere in the house, but for now, Shiro was leaning against the counter. He took the milk from Keith and kissed him hello.

"Did you run by the store?" Shiro said.

"Adam sent it with me."

"How is he?"

"He’ll live. He wants to do dinner this week."

"What for?"

"What do you think?" Keith said. Shiro’s eyes widened.

"I guess he’s serious about this guy."

"When you figure out what night you can do, let me know so I can tell my folks."

"Okay." Shiro kissed him again. "I didn’t like waking up without you the first morning in the new room."

"You want to go back to bed and do it over?"

"We can sleep in tomorrow," Shiro said. "Did you eat yet?"

"No, I just got her something. All we have here is cereal. I washed the dishes yesterday if you’re hungry."

Shiro got them out. He poured two servings of mini-wheats and they ate standing up, looking out over the desert. It was the best bowl of cereal Keith had ever had.

"Aki wants pancakes for dinner," he said offhandedly.

Shiro nodded. "What would you think about hanging your painting on that wall?" He pointed to the right with his spoon.

"Over the table? I guess. What about the wedding pictures?"

"Which _ones_?" Shiro said, leaning to kiss Keith’s neck.

"The ones I can show my mother."

"The hallway, maybe. Do you think your parents would give us a hand building the furniture? I’m afraid with Aki here, we won’t get as much done."

Krolia had been offering daily for a week. Keith smiled. "I’ll call them after breakfast."

Shiro finished eating and took a deep breath. "I love it here. Why didn’t you uncover the couch?"

Keith shrugged. "I don’t know. I was waiting for you."

Shiro turned to look at him, then took the bowl from Keith, setting it down next to his. He kissed Keith’s left hand and led him to the couch in the center of the room. With one hand to Keith’s face, he kissed him, using the other to lift up the tarp. It felt a little like being undressed. Keith put his arms around Shiro’s neck. But then Shiro stopped and let the tarp fall back into place.

"Aki," he called. "Come out here for a minute."

A moment later, her footsteps came running down the hallway. She’d put on a crown and Keith’s glasses. He burst out laughing.

"That’s quite a look," he said, letting go of Shiro. He gently removed the glasses from her face. "But these are prescription. They’re not good for your eyes. I think I have an old pair of frames you can play with."

Aki crossed her arms and frowned but said, "Okay."

"Daddy and Keith are trying to uncover the couch," Shiro said. "But we need your help. We can’t do it alone."

She looked skeptical but stopped frowning, wedging herself in between them and gripping the tarp with both hands. Keith and Shiro each picked up an edge.

"Everyone holding on?" Shiro said.

"Yup," Keith said and Aki nodded twice.

"Okay," Shiro said. "On three."

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dinosaur Eggs oatmeal is real and fun even in your 30s. And Adam didn't tell Keith this, but his boyfriend loves dogs and will probably watch Kosmo. 
> 
> If you're on Twitter, [please come say hello!](https://twitter.com/museawayfic)


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